Yunling Town.
Marriage Pavilion.
"Taoist Friend Qin, why did you leave Zhenyang City? That's a major city under Zhenyang Sect, the cultivation resources there are far beyond what we can compare in this small town."
Qin Gengyun sat upright, slightly apprehensive, and replied to the matchmaking partner sitting across the table:
"Taoist Friend Li, you may not know, though Zhenyang City is a major city with more resources and opportunities, it also means the rent and daily expenses are more expensive. It's better to return to Yunling Town, away from the noise, to focus on cultivation peacefully."
"Taoist Friend Qin, why be evasive? It's simply because you couldn't make it in the big city, so you had to return to the small town, isn't it?"
The female cultivator chuckled, disregarding Qin Gengyun's embarrassment, and continued to ask:
"I heard you work at an alchemy workshop in town, how much Spirit Stone can you earn?"
Qin Gengyun quickly replied, "Three Spirit Stones a month."
The female cultivator's eyes sparkled, her smile blossoming:
"Taoist Friend Qin, your appearance and character are decent, I'm barely satisfied. Let's talk about the bride price."
"Bride price?" Qin Gengyun was taken aback, does marrying in the cultivation world also require a bride price?
The female cultivator extended three pale fingers: "Three hundred Spirit Stones, a Spirit Vein Immortal Mansion, with the property deed only in my name."
"What?!" Qin Gengyun's eyes widened suddenly.
He could only earn three Spirit Stones a month, and over the years, his savings have been exhausted in order to expel the Pill Poison within his body. Where could he gather three hundred Spirit Stones?
As for the Spirit Vein Immortal Mansion, even the cheapest costs over a thousand Spirit Stones, it's something a low-level loose cultivator like him couldn't possibly hope for.
This bride price in the cultivation world is even more outrageous than in the world before the crossing!
Qin Gengyun couldn't help but ask the female cultivator, "Taoist Friend Li, may I ask about your monthly income?"
The female cultivator replied, "I serve as an attendant at Rouge Pavilion, earning two Spirit Stones a month."
Qin Gengyun was surprised, "Taoist Friend Li, you only earn two Spirit Stones a month, why do you ask for such a high bride price?"
The female cultivator looked at him with disdain, "With my looks, I wouldn't even consider male cultivators earning ten Spirit Stones a month. I thought you were honest, someone possibly trustworthy, but it turns out you can't even provide this little bride price. You may leave."
Qin Gengyun said nothing more, standing up and leaving the room, as Matchmaker Wang who was waiting outside stepped forward to inquire,
"Taoist Friend Qin, how did it go?"
Qin Gengyun shook his head helplessly, "She doesn't fancy me."
"Don't worry, Taoist Friend, come this way, there are others suitable for you."
With a bright smile, Matchmaker Wang led Qin Gengyun to another room.
Marriage Pavilion is the largest cultivator matchmaking house in Yunling Town, specifically for those with stagnant cultivation who wish to find a different path, relying on dual cultivation method to break through Foundation Establishment.
Every step forward for a cultivator requires a large amount of resources, but cultivation resources are almost entirely controlled by the Major Sect, available only to gifted and well-connected inner sect disciples.
For ordinary loose cultivators, relying only on diligent cultivation makes not to mention immortality, even Foundation Establishment is as hard as ascending to heaven.
Therefore, dual cultivation becomes the last gamble for many ordinary loose cultivators.
If dual cultivation succeeds, it is like a carp leaping over the dragon's gate.
If dual cultivation fails, it breaks the Tao Heart, and they become a mundane couple, dealing with trivial matters for the rest of their mortal lives.
For ordinary loose cultivators, dual cultivation is a shortcut to pursuing the longevity path.
But for Qin Gengyun, dual cultivation is his only hope for survival.
Qin Gengyun arrived two years ago through crossing worlds into this body with the same name, his talent ordinary, his background ordinary, in this cultivation world he is just an ordinary loose cultivator.
When Qin Gengyun arrived, this body was already thirty-three years old, cultivating nearly twenty years, with cultivation only at Qi Cultivation Second-Layer.
Even more pitiful, this body spent years surviving, serving as a Pill Poison Medicine Attendant for alchemists, thoroughly ruining the body.
The so-called Pill Poison is the toxic residue left after alchemy, the duty of a Pill Poison Medicine Attendant is to clear these toxic residues.
But prolonged exposure to Pill Poison polluted his Spirit Field, drained his vitality and blood, making cultivation impossible to advance.
Even, if he cannot completely clear the Pill Poison within, he will not live past forty.
Accepting this body's fate, Qin Gengyun had no choice but to inherit this tragic destiny.
He inquired everywhere, finally learning that to clear the Pill Poison, one must consume the "Ice Heart Rejuvenation Pill."
But that is a Fourth Grade Spirit Pill, worth one hundred times more than the life of an ordinary loose cultivator!
Moreover, such high-grade Spirit Pill is only controlled by Major Sect, no sect would spend such a precious pill to save a loose cultivator.
Coincidentally, before crossing over, Qin Gengyun worked in a chemical factory, and due to long-term exposure to toxic chemical waste, his body gave out at forty.
Chemical worker and Pill Poison Medicine Attendant, both oddly similar in their tragedies.
To gamble for a chance at life, Qin Gengyun came to Zhenyang City below Zhenyang Sect. In a major city, opportunities are numerous, one could more easily earn Spirit Stones, and if fortune favors, perhaps obtain the life-saving pill.
However, the competition among cultivators in Zhenyang City was intense, to the point where survival itself demanded all his strength, let alone earning Spirit Stones.
If this continues, even if Pill Poison does not erupt, Qin Gengyun sensed he wouldn't live past forty.
He had to leave Zhenyang City and move to Yunling Town where survival pressure is not as severe.
But the Spirit Stones earned in Yunling Town are certainly not enough for Qin Gengyun to procure the "Ice Heart Rejuvenation Pill" before forty.
To survive, there's only one way—refine the Ice Heart Rejuvenation Pill himself.
With years spent in the Alchemy Room, Qin Gengyun had some insight into alchemy, but refining also requires cultivation support, and he has only Qi Cultivation Second-Layer, unable to even refine ordinary First Grade Pills.
Therefore, to become an Alchemist, one must first elevate their cultivation.
But his Spirit Field has been polluted by Pill Poison, and the normal path of cultivation has been blocked.
All paths of survival have been blocked, leaving only the last small path: Dual Cultivation.
"Taoist Friend Qin, this is Taoist Friend Zhang, you two have a good chat."
Entering another room, Matchmaker Wang said a few words and left, Qin Gengyun sat down, facing a young female cultivator, charming in temperament, with a gentle smile:
"Taoist Friend Qin, Matchmaker Wang has already told me about your situation, whatever you want to know, feel free to ask me."
Qin Gengyun conversed with this Taoist Friend Zhang for a moment, both found each other quite suitable, and soon moved on to marriage, the female cultivator said:
"Taoist Friend Qin, since you and I are so compatible, I am also willing to marry you, you only need to provide a modest dowry."
Another dowry?
Qin Gengyun quickly asked, "Taoist Friend Zhang, how much dowry do you want?"
The female cultivator smiled, "Taoist Friend Qin, I come from Qishan Town outside the Feiyun Sect, according to the customs of my hometown, when a female cultivator marries, the husband's family needs to give five hundred Spirit Stones, plus a Spirit Vein Immortal Mansion, but I know it's not easy for you, so you don't need the Spirit Vein Immortal Mansion, just a small two-story building with a courtyard will do."
Qin Gengyun was dumbfounded, "Taoist Friend Zhang, isn't this dowry a bit too elusive, can it be more realistic?"
Taoist Friend Zhang's gentle smile disappeared, "Taoist Friend Qin, marrying you means I must serve you, and later give birth to your children, the benefit is yours, the loss is mine, if in the future you cannot reach Foundation Establishment, and we separate, I would still need some assurance, right?"
Qin Gengyun smiled bitterly, "Taoist Friend Zhang, we are not yet married, and you're already thinking about separation? Besides, our marriage is more for practicing the Dual Cultivation Method, not for you to serve me, how are you at a loss?"
"True, if we can indeed practice Dual Cultivation in the future, then it would be me aiding your cultivation, this amount of dowry is not even worth mentioning!"
The female cultivator became more justified.
"Taoist Friend Zhang, Dual Cultivation is inherently beneficial to both parties, why is it only you aiding my cultivation?"
Qin Gengyun argued.
"Hehe." The female cultivator gently brushed her hair in front of her forehead, revealing a proud expression:
"In Dual Cultivation, if I eventually gain the Great Dao and ascend, you would have married a fairy for five hundred Spirit Stones, wouldn't you have made a huge profit?"
"..." Qin Gengyun had no counterargument, he could only stand, clasp his hands and say:
"Taoist Friend Zhang, allow me to go home and think it over."
Leaving the room, Matchmaker Wang immediately greeted him, "How was it?"
Qin Gengyun smiled bitterly, "These two Taoist Friends are indeed beautiful as flowers, but their expectations are sky-high, and the dowry even higher, I'm afraid I can't afford it."
"Taoist Friend Qin, don't worry, a thousand miles of marriage is linked by a single thread, good fortune is at the Marriage Pavilion, I'll take you to see other female cultivators."
Next, Matchmaker Wang introduced several female cultivators to Qin Gengyun, some did not fancy Qin Gengyun, some fancied him, but without exception, they all demanded considerable dowries.
Qin Gengyun simply could not afford them.
Finally, even Matchmaker Wang was somewhat helpless, she said to Qin Gengyun:
"Taoist Friend Qin, it's only natural for women to ask for dowries, they only want an attitude from the future husband, if you can't even afford the dowry, how can you show your sincerity?"
Qin Gengyun was speechless.
He suddenly remembered his past life, where his parents urged him to marry, and he often went on blind dates.
He had been with a few girls for a while, but when it came to discussing marriage, the other party always asked for what seemed like astronomical dowries.
The reasoning was no different from those two female cultivators earlier:
It's just about wanting assurance, wanting your attitude.
I have a monthly salary of three thousand, but a man who earns tens of thousands is not good enough for me.
If you can't even come up with this small dowry, how can you show your sincerity?
But, if I could easily come up with an astronomical dowry, why would I need to go on blind dates?
Qin Gengyun silently walked out of the Marriage Pavilion, outside it had somehow already started to rain steadily, and the usually bustling street now had few pedestrians.
He opened his umbrella, walking through the cold winter rain, unable to suppress a shiver.
Even at the second layer of Qi Cultivation, he could still feel a piercing cold.
However, his heart felt even colder.
When he first transmigrated to this cultivation world, Qin Gengyun was full of spirit, wanting to defy fate and reach the pinnacle.
However, just like before his transmigration, during his campus days he was full of vigor, but after less than a year in society, his dreams were shattered by reality.
The meaning of life was reduced to mere survival.
Transmigrating to the cultivation world, the reality was even more cruel.
Striving hard in cultivation, climbing with effort, in the end, a mere dowry blocked his last path to survival.
In this world, there were many loose cultivators like him struggling to survive, even at the early stage of Qi Cultivation in their thirties or forties, earning three to four Spirit Stones a month was considered lucky.
Foundation Establishment seemed utterly out of reach, and immortality even more elusive.
Qin Gengyun had once seen from afar a Zhenyang Sect Inner Sect disciple in Zhenyang City, a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator, dignified in demeanor, reportedly not exceptionally talented, but his father was an elder of the Inner Sect's main peak.
You could only say, some people spend their whole lives striving for Foundation Establishment, while others are born with it.
And for ordinary people like him, it was just as difficult in the previous life as in the cultivation world.
Cultivation is difficult, marrying is difficult, surviving is difficult!
Difficult! Difficult! Difficult!!