In the Blade Alliance, all logistical services in the Sanctuary are handled by a large number of volunteers, who must also go through multiple rounds of selection. Serving the Sanctuary is a kind of baptism akin to that of a devotee. Not only do they not require any compensation, but they are also extremely devout, cleaning until everything is spotless. There are even fanatical believers who prove how clean their work is by drinking toilet water.

Damn.

Old Walker started working slowly, organizing his thoughts as he worked. This way, he could ignore certain things—after all, toilets aren’t fragrant in any world.

As he walked and thought, his bucket bumped into someone. “Ah, sorry about that.”

Chapter 11: Scenery with a Scent

“Ah!” That person had just come out of the restroom, and suddenly felt a chill all over. No one would feel good in that situation. He glared angrily, then paused in surprise: “It’s you!”

“Hello, Morton junior brother.” Old Walker waved at him with a grin. “You’re using the restroom too? What a coincidence. Oh, how did you get wet? Let me wipe it for you.”

As he spoke, he picked up a filthy, yellowish rag—who knows what it had wiped before—and moved closer.

“Who’s your junior brother?!” Morton was annoyed. Yesterday, he had to hold back in front of Yinfu, but he didn’t expect to run into him again today. “Taking advantage of me again, take this punch!”

“Morton junior brother, didn’t you see? I’m cultivating!” Frank Walker raised his mop and rag. “This is a trial personally assigned by the principal. Don’t disturb me.”

Morton laughed, revealing a set of gleaming white teeth that looked even whiter against his slightly dark face. “Cleaning toilets is cleaning toilets. I heard that humans who make mistakes are punished. What did you do wrong?”

Looking at the gossipy, excited youngster, Frank Walker smiled calmly and gave Morton a pitying, dim-witted look, staring at him for a full five seconds, making Morton uneasy.

“What are you looking at? If you didn’t do anything wrong, why are you cleaning toilets? That’s servant work!” Morton had already decided to tell Yinfu about this, so she’d know the true nature of this devious human.

Frank Walker shook his head. “A sharp sword is forged through grinding, and a rose’s fragrance comes from enduring the bitter cold. That’s our Rose Sanctuary’s motto. Every Rose genius must go through such trials. Like you said, this is servant work. If you were asked to do it, could you? I bet you couldn’t. Everyone dislikes it, thinks it’s shameful, but I can do it, and face it calmly, without a ripple. More than that, I think it shows character and breadth of mind. And what is the Sanctuary spirit? All for one, and one for all. That’s also a great human quality. Look at you, making a fuss over a little water. No wonder people say the Eight Tribes are all hothouse flowers now. Sigh, what a pity. Don’t block my cultivation.”

Morton’s face turned bright red. He snatched the broom and bucket. “Who says I can’t? The Mohuroga are much better than you. Not just cleaning toilets, there’s nothing we can’t do if we set our minds to it. Watch me!”

“Junior brother, that’s not right. This is my cultivation. Don’t force yourself. Three minutes of enthusiasm is meaningless!” Frank Walker reached out to take them back.

“If you try to take them, I’ll hit you!” Morton shouted angrily, and began scrubbing at lightning speed. With his skills and speed, he was definitely no match for Old Walker.

“Junior brother, slow down. Haste makes waste. Don’t splash water everywhere… Sigh, junior brother, clean it a bit better. Is sloppiness a Mohuroga habit?”

“Junior brother, left side, top, yes, on the right… Why are you holding your nose? Form is emptiness, stink is not stink!”

An hour passed. People coming and going looked at this odd pair, especially since one was a Mohuroga. Morton really felt ashamed. A dignified Mohuroga actually cleaning toilets—he had to fight this sense of shame. Yes, this was cultivation!

Seeing that Morton had gotten the hang of it, Old Walker showed a fatherly smile. This place would take him two days to clean, but the Mohuroga really was talented.

Old Walker grabbed a stool and picked up a newspaper from the basket hanging by the door. In the Blade Alliance, especially at the Sanctuary Academy, there were mainly two newspapers: one was the Light of the Sanctuary, the other was the Pilgrimage Road. The Light of the Sanctuary mainly covered news from the major Sanctuaries of the Blade, while the Pilgrimage Road reported on news outside the Sanctuary. They were nicknamed the Holy Light and the Holy Road.

In this regard, the Sanctuary really did things well. How could you go to the restroom without a newspaper?

However, the front page headline of this Holy Light in his hand was a criticism of Rose Academy—more precisely, of Principal Carrie Dean. The scolding was quite literary and well-written, though it could have been even more incisive. The second page was the same. It was clear that Carrie Dean’s recent actions had greatly impacted tradition. Some even suggested that the Alliance reclaim the Rose Sanctuary from the Carrie Dean family, or let the Judgement Sanctuary merge with Rose.

The third page covered some outstanding warriors from the major Sanctuaries and their recent deeds, mostly focusing on martial artists and wizards, which were the mainstream on the Nine Heavens Continent. Things like the third prince of some empire challenging the toughest graduation trial, looking mighty and heroic, destined to be a future hero, and so on…

Entering the Sanctuary only made you a disciple or apprentice; only those who officially graduated were Sanctuary disciples. And for a Sanctuary disciple to become a hero was one in ten thousand.