“Sigh, who told our demon race not to produce a single mighty expert to protect us? Otherwise, the Beast Taming Sect wouldn't last a day,” a demon cultivator lamented.
Wen Li and her six disciples remained silent. Once the food arrived, they ate quickly.
After finishing their meal, they booked seven rooms at the inn.
When it came time to pay, Yao Dai—who had repeatedly claimed this meal was on her—widened her eyes in shock.
“How much?! You said how much?!”
“Ten thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones. That’s correct,” the snake demon landlady replied.
She paused, then offered a placating smile. “Perhaps it’s your first time in our Qisu Kingdom, so it’s normal that you wouldn't know our prices. You see, the extraction of spirit veins in the Qisu Kingdom is strictly controlled by the three ancient demon clans. Moreover, we rarely cultivate vegetables or raise livestock like chickens, ducks, cattle, or sheep. Everything you ate was purchased by demon cultivators who traveled through teleportation arrays to nearby human cities. All that back-and-forth makes the cost of living much higher here than in the outside world.”
Hearing this, Yao Dai clutched her storage bag, her heart aching as she pulled out a spirit stone card.
“...Fine. Here, swipe it.”
She remembered when Master had taken her to capture Xie Tinglan; the bounty had only been three thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones per person. And now, a single meal and seven rooms cost her ten thousand!
“Wonderful! Right away!”
Yao Dai returned upstairs, all the light seemingly drained from her person. She sat down like a heavy stone pillar, staring blankly into space.
Wen Li, who was about to discuss their next move, noticed her state. “What’s wrong? Did you get mugged?”
“Master, this meal and these seven rooms cost me ten thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones,” Yao Dai said, her voice devoid of hope.
“...What?!” Wen Li stood in shocked silence for three seconds before shouting. “Are you sure you weren't scammed? Come on, let’s go get your money back!”
Of all things to scam someone for—money! How was that any different from scamming her money?!
Yao Dai shook her head. “No, the prices in the Qisu Kingdom are just that expensive.” She repeated the landlady’s explanation.
“...”
Wen Li fell silent. A moment later, she looked at everyone. “From now on, everyone pays for their own expenses. I’m broke.”
The disciples were speechless, but they all nodded. “Understood.”
It was fine. As long as Master didn't ask them for money, they could still survive.
Wen Li continued, “You all heard the gossip earlier, right? But it still needs to be verified. Your task for now is to go out and gather information. Not just about the three ancient demon clans, but also about the snake clans, the fish clans—all of them. We’ll meet back here tonight to report.”
Xin Jiuxian looked at her curiously. “And what about you?”
“Me? I’m responsible for organizing the information and coordinating your tasks,” Wen Li replied righteously. “Alright, alright, discuss among yourselves how to handle it. Out you go.”
She ushered everyone out, closed the door, went back to her bed, and lay down to sleep.
The six people left in the hallway looked at each other and let out soft huffs.
Inside Zongzheng Huangyue’s room...
She sat on a chair with her arms crossed. “Three major demon clans. We’ll go in pairs to investigate. Everyone gets one clan and reports back. Since each of those clans has six minor vassal clans, each pair will split those as well—three vassal clans per person.”
“Why should we listen to you?” Xin Jiuxian sneered.
“Then should we listen to you?” Zongzheng Huangyue raised an eyebrow.
“Yes,” Xin Jiuxian nodded.
Hua Cishu chimed in with the same skepticism. “And why should we listen to you? Master told us to discuss it, not to follow orders from anyone in particular.”
Spiritual energy began to stir at Xin Jiuxian’s fingertips, but Yao Dai pressed her hand down. “Enough. We’ll go with Old Four’s plan. It’s a good temporary arrangement. As for the pairs...”
Even if she were the one suggesting a plan, it would be identical to Zongzheng Huangyue’s. It was fair; no one would be doing more or less than anyone else.
The moment she mentioned pairing up, everyone’s gaze shifted coldly, filled with mutual distaste.
“Who wants to go with whom?” Zongzheng Huangyue asked.
No one spoke.
Zongzheng Huangyue sighed helplessly. “Alright, who doesn't want to be with whom?”
The responses were instantaneous.
Xin Jiuxian: “I’m not going with Old Five.”
Yao Dai: “Not with Old Five.”
Xie Tinglan: “Old Five.”
Hua Cishu, the target of everyone's rejection, sat leaning back. He hooked his finger into the silver bell in his hair, causing it to chime as he spoke in a languid tone.
“Fine by me. I wouldn't want to be with you three idiots anyway.”
“...” Zongzheng Huangyue didn't even have to think; she immediately raised her hand.
“Don’t start a fight!”
But it was too late.
Bang! Thud! Clang!
The chaotic din broke out in front of her. They fought from left to right and from front to back.
Zongzheng Huangyue’s temple throbbed with pain. She finally began to understand Master’s hardship. She didn't want to manage these four; she had no such obligation. Regardless, as long as she completed Master’s task, the others could keep fighting until they died for all she cared.
She stood up and looked at Gu Linshu.
“Let’s the two of us go look into the Dragon clan.”
“Okay.”
Gu Linshu nodded. He actually wanted to say he didn't want to go with Second Senior Brother, but his upbringing prevented him from being rude. He was afraid Second Senior Brother might transform into his true form just to spite him; having Zongzheng Huangyue around made him feel much safer.
The two most stable members of the group left.
This left the other four still locked in a three-on-one brawl. Eventually, fearing they would delay the mission, Yao Dai dragged away Xie Tinglan, who had reverted to his true form and was trying to bite Hua Cishu to death.
“That’s enough. Don't interfere with Master’s mission. We’ll deal with him when we get back.”
“We’re going to investigate the Phoenix clan.”
“Hiss!”
The black fur ball on the floor, who had lost patches of fur in the struggle, hissed and bared his teeth. Once they left, he returned to his human form. His face was bruised purple and blue, a small patch of his hair was missing, and the corner of his mouth was bleeding.
“Heh, hahaha.”
He licked the blood from his lips, his amber phoenix eyes shimmering with a sinister, mocking smile. Even after being beaten, he carried an air of reckless, fearless insanity.
Every time, Hua Cishu risked his life to provoke everyone else. He was like an unkillable cockroach—weak in combat but perpetually looking for trouble.
Xin Jiuxian couldn't understand this psychopath, but it seemed she was the only one left to pair with him.
“Let’s go. We’re stuck with the Nine-Tailed Fox clan.”
Hua Cishu gave a cold snort and followed her in silence.
...
Wen Li was snoring loudly in the inn.
As the saying goes, ‘Raise a disciple for a thousand days, use them for a hundred years.’ Having all six of them together was noisy, but they got work done fast. Previously, she and Zongzheng Huangyue would have to gather info and cross-check it themselves. Now, all she had to do was sleep.
BOOM—
Suddenly, a massive explosion erupted.
The sound echoed across half the border city. The ground shook, wooden windows shattered, and cups broke.
Wen Li, who was dreaming about eating chicken drumsticks and liked sleeping near the edge of the bed, was shaken right off.
Thud!
“Ah!”
Fortunately, Wen Li landed on her quilt. Startled awake, her hair a mess, she reached out to grab the bedside for leverage and climbed back up. She was still groggy. Was it an earthquake?
So cultivation worlds have earthquakes too, huh?
She tossed the quilt back onto the bed and walked to the window to push it open.
Whoa!
In the center of Wuxue City’s towering jungle, several of the tallest buildings and houses had been blown up!
They were still burning!
As far as the eye could see, the sky was filled with brilliant crimson clouds. Under the glow of the flames, the sunset clouds looked even more beautiful. Wen Li’s eyes lit up as she admired the view.
Rate on N.U.
