"Senior Brother is right, I am new to the Dead Giant Island, so I don't know much about the way of life here."
I smile an embarrassed smile towards Wei Wang.
"It's fine. I was planning to explain everything to you anyway."
Wei Wang gestures for me to follow him.
"Since you're new, I suppose you don't know much about how the sect operates, right?"
"Correct."
I nod my head in agreement.
I had been feeling puzzled about the way the Seekers of the Truth of Life and Death sect operated since seeing the sect building.
"The sect runs on a benefit exchange system. The sect provides disciples with cultivation techniques and supplies them with the suitable environment to practice those techniques. In return, the disciples work for the advancement and prosperity of the sect, whether by working on farms, mining, or processing materials extracted from the Dead Giant's corpse."
"Everyone must work for the sect, no matter their rank or strength, from the weakest Qi Condensation disciples to the strongest Qi Condensation elders."
"Of course, the sect offers more than just cultivation techniques in exchange for work. Each disciple receives a monthly salary, whether in coins, spirit stones, or others, depending on their work and its quality."
Upon hearing this, for a moment, I feel as if my mind has stopped working.
'Wait, isn't this just a capitalist company? What does this have to do with cultivation sects?'
Suddenly, I feel as if I've been deceived.
"There are many jobs in the sect. And yet, the best place to work, by everyone's consensus, is the farms."
As he speaks, Wei Wang gestures with his hand towards the ground, and suddenly, a tunnel large enough for several people to pass through forms within the fleshy ground.
"..."
'I don't have to go in there, right?'
Unfortunately, Wei Wang enters the flesh tunnel without hesitation.
"This is because worm farms are in places suitable for practicing the Sea of Corpses technique and don't require constant supervision, so you get a lot of cultivation time."
I grit my teeth and follow Wei Wang inside the disgusting flesh tunnel.
'Damn, I'm starting to miss Earth. Why can't I enjoy a quiet life in this world and practice peaceful cultivation until I become the strongest and gather a giant harem?'
'Damn, in fact, I haven't met any beautiful girls since entering this world.'
I feel injustice in my heart as I follow Wei Wang.
"Also, there are other benefits, like the high salary and workplace safety. I've heard that the death rate for those working in the bone mines is forty percent."
"Can you imagine that? Four out of every ten people who enter the bone mines never return."
"Not even that, you can't take anything secretly because the sect is very strict when it comes to mines, unlike farms."
"What a terrifying matter."
Wei Wang continues chattering until we reach the end of the flesh tunnel. There, a scene appears that will be added to my nightmares alongside the scenes from the previous cycles' ends.
I feel an overwhelming urge to vomit as I see the sight before me.
A giant flesh cave existing within the rotting giant's corpse, where the walls are made of decomposed, bluish-black flesh, with pus-filled sores and giant blisters filled with strange fluids everywhere.
But this wasn't the worst part. It was the group of giant worms, numbering in the hundreds, wandering in the cave, eating the flesh that makes up the cave walls (which is the giant's corpse), and drinking the strange fluids dripping from the bursting blisters.
The worms were a bluish-black color, so they were hard to notice as they clung to the walls of the same color. But upon closer inspection, you could detect them, though I regret noticing them.
I feel my legs growing weaker and my urge to vomit becoming stronger as I see the fat, hairy worms, which are up to three meters long, crawling and tearing the rotting flesh with their mouths that resemble rows of saws.
"Ugh, I feel like I'm going to vomit."
"It's fine. Everyone feels that way the first time they see them. And yet, you'll have to get used to seeing them."
Wei Wang speaks with a sympathetic expression as he sees my plight.
"As you see, we are responsible for this Corpse Worm farm. Our job is to check the number and health of the Corpse Worms every three days. It's an easy and simple job. But if the sect notices a shortage in the number of Corpse Worms on the farm, even by one, we'll be in big trouble. So you can't be lazy."
"Understood."
I regain my composure and listen attentively to Wei Wang's explanation.
"Of course, there are other benefits to working on a Corpse Worm farm, but let's leave them until you reach the lesser stage of the Sea of Corpses technique. Understood?"
"Understood."
"Great. Now help me check the worms. It's better we finish as quickly as possible because I still have to go to the sect building to complete your registration procedures as Elder Shou requested."
"My presence isn't necessary?"
"Yes. It's better to focus on your cultivation. The sooner you enter Qi Condensation, the better."
I nod my head towards Wei Wang while following him on his tour to check the Corpse Worms.
'Get ahold of yourself, get ahold of yourself. They're just giant worms. I've seen worse things already.'
"By the way, Senior Brother, what does the sect use Corpse Worms for?"
Wei Wang freezes in place upon hearing my question, and a strange expression appears on his face.
"It's better you don't know."
"..."
_________
Thanks Daoist9aplmT for the power stones