Chapter 5, Apprentice (Part 2)

Three days passed in a hurry. That afternoon, Huo Bao arrived at the study and said, "Twelve, a carriage has come outside, along with two talisman warriors, saying they are here to invite you to Grandpa Chang Ye Ren's house."

Chen Chunzai sighed inwardly: "Who wouldn't like it? This rule is specifically designed for those outstanding children." If it weren't for his intention to send his grandson to Guo Twelve, he wouldn't have explained it so thoroughly

The most important aspect of this courtyard is not the buildings on the ground, but rather a large laboratory underground, which is an essential place for studying charms. The walls and ceiling of the ground level have been reinforced with runes, and there are dedicated water inlets and geothermal features. The level of advancement here left Guo Twelve feeling quite astonished

Chen Chunzai chuckled and said, "Hehe, this is our rule here. Whenever an exceptionally talented child is discovered, the big shots all want to take them as apprentices. However, talented children are very rare, and each time they argue and bicker loudly. In the end, they had no choice but to establish a rule: adults can choose apprentices, and apprentices can also choose their masters, and no one is allowed to put pressure on the children."

Chen Chunzai said, "Self-study? Not bad, these two words are very fitting. Here, the apprentices, apart from being taught by a master, are all self-taught." He looked at Guo Twelve and saw the little fellow's eyes darting around, as if he were pondering something. Unable to restrain himself, he asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Is this starting now

During the day, he leisurely reads books, while in the evening, he spends most of his time reciting scriptures, leaving only four hours for sleep. For him, this is sufficient, as the refinement of his soul ensures a high quality of sleep, making four hours adequate for him to restore his spirit and physical strength

In his previous life, Guo Shier did not have a scientist's passion. Although he had self-studied to attain a university degree, it was from a military academy, not a science degree, and it was related to * diagrams * and * books *. However, he was not averse to acquiring skills. He understood a principle in his past life: possessing a skill allows one to traverse the world. Being able to learn something is the best outcome one could hope for

Chen Chunzai instinctively replied: "Yes, it is indeed very pitiful; of course, one must find a capable master..."

Where do talismans apprentices go to study

Chen Chunzai's expression grew serious as he said: "This is the most basic and conservative estimate. If you wish to advance and become more formidable, spending seventy to eighty thousand large talismans is not unusual. Twelve, you need to find a way to earn money; don't wait until the apprenticeship period ends to start thinking about making money, as that will be extremely stressful."

Guo Shierxin said: "I have no worries!"

Having lived through three lifetimes, Guo Shier did not feel that he had lived enough; he wished to live a few more. In this reincarnation, he discovered that he was no longer in his original world, and thus, experiencing different worlds became his most cherished desire

This reminder is very important. However, Guo Shier felt a bit puzzled: If those eight-year-old children possess such potential, would they understand Chen Chunzai's words? For an eight-year-old child to be expected to earn a living for ten adults is quite terrifying

Guo Shier carefully tidied up this underground laboratory. The underground laboratory mainly consists of a storage room for materials, a processing room for materials, a geothermal room, a cleaning room, and a hall for conducting experiments, also known as the talisman-making hall. He did not ask anyone for help, but instead tidied up by himself. Although he was only eight years old, he possessed the physical strength of an adult from his previous life, so he quickly finished the cleaning.

Nishin Nagaya reached out and patted Guo Twelve's small head, smiling: "Ah, this child is really polite. Twelve, in a couple of days, there will be a banquet at your grandfather's house, you should come too. The little one from the library probably hasn't tasted talisman food yet, come to my house and have a good taste, haha, just like that... I have other matters to attend to, Twelve, I will send someone to pick you up then"

Guo Twelve resides in a very small courtyard, which is specifically designated for apprentices. It can accommodate around thirty people, but currently only ten individuals live there, making it appear quite spacious

Guo Shier smiled and said, "Alright, let's go together." He was very curious about how Chang Yeren planned to entice him.

Without waiting for Guo Twelve to respond, he turned around and left, disappearing in the blink of an eye

What?

Chen Chunzai shook his head, feeling that he had overthought the matter. An eight-year-old child would not think so much. He said, "Twelve, remember, do not rush to take a master; hold off for a while first"

Therefore, when many adults focus on a particular child, that child's choice becomes the sole determining factor. During this period, adults can communicate with him, build relationships, make promises, and give gifts, but they cannot demand that the child take them as a mentor. Only after some time can the child be allowed to make his own choice

The outer room of the master bedroom is the study, which is where Guo Twelve studies, and it has long been cleaned thoroughly by Aunt Lan and Aunt Xin

Is it self-study

Chen Chunzai was taken aback. What does this mean? If he did not understand, had he not lived for over eighty years in vain? He said, "Twelve, do you mean..." He wanted to confirm. At the age of eight, he himself did not know what he was doing, yet this child was already so calculating.

Guo Twelve exclaimed in surprise to himself

Chen Chunzai said: "It must be worn on the left chest. You are an apprentice, so you must wear the apprentice uniform. After the four-year apprenticeship period ends, you can no longer wear the apprentice uniform. This apprentice uniform serves as the best protection within the inner gate; no one will be disrespectful to you, and no one dares to bully you"

Guo Shier displayed an innocent smile and asked, "Grandpa Chen, among those grandpas and grandmas yesterday... who has the highest level? Um, which one is the richest?"

Guo Shier smiled, feeling quite pleased, and said: "Do we still need to go to the talisman hall to fetch the books?"

Guo Shier said hesitantly: "Grandpa Chen, you know... since I have left home so far away, and my family cannot help me, so... finding a capable master would be a great help to me, wouldn't it?"

The books taken from the Charm Hall are neatly arranged on the bookshelf, along with those purchased from outside in the past. The writing desk is adorned with ink, brushes, paper, and inkstones. Guo Twelve is quite familiar with the use of the brush; in his first life, he had put in considerable effort and was quite skilled at writing with a brush.

The north is dominated by the North Symbol Gate. To the east lies the East Symbol Gate, also known as the Sea Symbol Gate. In the west, there is the vast grassland, home to the West Symbol Gate, which is commonly referred to as the Beast Symbol Gate among the people. The south features the South Symbol Gate, which is composed of two sects: the Insect Symbol Sect and the Plant Symbol Sect, collectively known as the South Symbol Gate.

In order to safely complete this life, Guo Twelve must learn the local means of survival. Perhaps in the next reincarnation, he can return to his hometown, but he absolutely cannot die an untimely death. Although he has never experienced an untimely death, he speculates that once one dies an untimely death, it is very likely that the opportunity for reincarnation will be lost, and then he would be completely dead.

An old man stealthily lifted the door curtain and entered. It seemed he had inadvertently spotted the two individuals and exclaimed, "Xiao Chen, what are you doing here... isn't this the twelve?" The elderly gentleman, Chang Yeren, appeared with a smile.

Guo Shier was dumbfounded. Chen Chunzai secretly cursed: "This old fox." He said, "Shier, don't be surprised. In the future, there will be many strange things related to *maps* and *books*. The more you see, the less you will be astonished."

Chen Chunzai smiled and said, "Indeed, this has begun!"

Guo Shier looked very aggrieved and said, "I didn't mean anything, I just want to find a powerful master, nothing else, hehe, Grandpa Chen, thank you." He had already made up his mind about the choice of his master. In this world, when it comes to apprenticeship, it doesn't matter who you choose; choosing a wealthy lord as a master at least ensures that he won't exploit his disciples.

A cold wind blew into the room

These four major sects have gathered the strength of the vast majority of people, enabling them to secure a place in this harsh environment. The power of clans in this world is also immense, with each clan and family possessing formidable strength

Chen Chunzai stated: "If one wishes to take on an apprenticeship, one should follow the master to learn. If there is no apprenticeship, one must go to the talisman hall to study, where there are talisman practitioners and talisman masters available for consultation. Additionally, the talisman hall offers books for rent; you can either rent or purchase them."

Chen Chunzai said: "The one with the strongest overall strength is Chang Yaren, and he is also the wealthiest! Hei Daye... uh, Twelve, you must not have such thoughts. As talisman masters, we must have an independent and self-reliant heart, and we cannot think about taking advantage or seeking personal gain"

A group of people quickly arrived at the talisman hall, which was only about a five-minute walk away, and collected a large number of basic books. Chen Chunzai said, "Shier, don't rush to read the books just yet. Once you settle down and organize your home, you can start reading. If there's anything you don't understand, just come to my place... I can help you for the time being. Now that this task is completed, I happen to have a holiday."

The living environment for humanity here is so harsh that it exceeds his imagination. If humanity cannot unite, the possibility of extinction is extremely high. This is why a powerful sect like the Northern Symbol Gate has emerged.

Guo Shier immediately asked: "Who among them is the most formidable?"

Guo Twelve did not understand and asked: "Why?"

Guo Shier greeted, "Hello, Grandpa Chang!"

Guo Shier is certainly an exception; children may not understand, but he is very clear in his mind that having money means having everything. Without money, one cannot even have enough to eat, so there is no talk of advancement or learning.

If you seek the services of a powerful talisman master, you will encounter numerous opportunities to earn money

The master bedroom is not large; due to the extremely cold winters in this area, bedrooms are not constructed to be very spacious. A wooden bed occupies more than half of the room. The floor, walls, and ceiling of the bedroom are all inscribed with runes, primarily to block the cold air from outside, while also releasing a certain amount of heat. Next to the wooden bed is a horizontal rod-style clothes rack, and apart from that, there are no other furnishings. Beside the clothes rack is the entrance to the basement.

Four years' time, this is the growth period granted to Guo Twelve, which is very intense. In recent days, Guo Twelve has read some local history books, as well as notes from talisman masters, gaining a general understanding of this world. This world is completely different from the previous one; there is no concept of nations here, nor are there institutions like nations existing.

Guo Twelve returned to the room above, which was his own master bedroom

Chen Chunzai revealed a meaningful smile and said, "Oh, what a coincidence, haha, I came with twelve to handle the formalities and collect the identity tokens."

Guo Shier was playing with the identity token in his hand and asked, "Do I need to wear this token, or is it sufficient to keep it in my pocket"

Chen Chunzai looked at the silent Guo Twelve, feeling quite puzzled: how could this child be so indifferent? After a moment's thought, he still said: "Actually, you don't need to worry too much..."

Guo Shier's eyes lit up upon hearing this; the rule was simply fantastic. He laughed and said, "Great, great... I like this rule!"