The gloomy atmosphere is always broken by other reasons.
For example, lack of money.
Chen Xia wanted to replace the big red lanterns in his cave with spiritual energy beads and redecorate it. It would look nice and make him feel better.
It was said that these spiritual energy beads would emit colorful and gorgeous lights at night.
Chen Xia planned to get several of them, hang them up with ropes, and lower them at night to sway the lights.
Just start having fun!
If Chen Xia's creditors knew that he would rather buy these expensive spiritual energy beads than pay back the money, they would probably curse him as an unlucky guy.
But it wasn't clear who would be the unlucky one.
Anyway, it wouldn't be Chen Xia.
And now, if he wanted to get spirit stones, the best choice was to collect protection fees from the preparatory disciples.
After all, it was almost like getting something for nothing.
It was really tempting for Chen Xia.
But he couldn't just go directly to their doors to collect. That would be more like robbing money instead of collecting it.
Although there wasn't much difference, the name should at least sound better.
For this reason, Chen Xia specially called Pan Da Dao, the minor elder, over and asked him to publicize his name.
"Just publicize my name among the preparatory disciples. Then someone will naturally come to pay the spirit stones. You'll get ten percent of the profit."
Pan Da Dao frowned deeply and quickly advised.
"Let's forget it. The situation this time is very complicated. It's completely different from the last time. It's said that a Law Elder of the sect is in control behind the scenes."
"Don't be afraid." Chen Xia waved his hand. "I also have someone backing me up. When it comes to comparing backers, I'm not inferior."
The name of the old fisherman should be used when necessary.
Pan Da Dao knew about it too, but he still shook his head with a bitter smile. "But I don't have any backer. You'll be fine, but I'll be in big trouble."
The Law Elder wouldn't dare to lay a hand on Chen Xia, a potential Great Emperor, but it would be easy for him to get rid of Pan Da Dao.
"Really don't be afraid." Chen Xia comforted him. "You'll be a hero again in eighteen years."
"Besides, what if you reincarnate and become the son of a Great Emperor? Then it'll be easy for you to deal with this Law Elder, right?"
He clapped his hands again and explained.
"If you succeed, you'll get a share of the spirit stones. If you die, you can reincarnate. You'll get all the benefits. What are you afraid of?"
It had to be said that Chen Xia was really good at persuading people. His odd reasoning had always been quite effective.
So much so that Pan Da Dao was a bit tempted. But thinking that he still had thousands of years of lifespan left, he still planned to politely refuse.
He shook his head slightly, his tone full of bitterness. He didn't dare to talk back to Chen Xia and said pitifully.
"But I haven't lived enough in this life."
"Okay." Chen Xia nodded and didn't plan to persuade him anymore. He could just publicize it himself. It was just a bit troublesome.
Pan Da Dao stood with his head down beside him, afraid that Chen Xia would get angry and didn't dare to say a word.
"How old are you?" Chen Xia suddenly asked.
Pan Da Dao thought carefully and replied, "Over three thousand five hundred years old. I can't remember the exact age."
Cultivators often went into seclusion for decades, so it was indeed hard to remember the exact age.
"What do you have to be reluctant about... um..." Chen Xia crossed his arms, thought for a while, and continued to ask, "Like relatives or something?"
Pan Da Dao was stunned for a moment. He lowered his head, his eyebrows even lower than his head, and said in a muffled voice.
"My parents died a long time ago. Actually, I ascended from the lower realm. I've never had a Taoist companion or children. Maybe I just have a few not-so-close friends in the Heavenly Sword Sea."
"Yeah, about the same." Chen Xia nodded, with a calm expression, and it was hard to tell what he was thinking.
Pan Da Dao gave a bitter smile, lowered his head, and couldn't help but say.
"There's a huge gap between you and me."
Chen Xia was a rising potential Great Emperor, while he was the lowest-ranked minor elder. They were simply not on the same level.
Chen Xia didn't reply. He just waved his hand and turned around to leave.
"You..." Pan Da Dao suddenly spoke up, then paused, took a breath, and then boldly asked.
"Since you're somewhat similar to me, then what's the reason that makes you choose to keep living?"
Having no relatives and no goal in cultivation, Pan Da Dao had sometimes thought about giving up his body and reincarnating.
Chen Xia's back waved his hand, and his calm voice came.
"Didn't I say I'm similar to you..."
"I don't want to die. I haven't lived enough."
It was just such a simple reason.
Pan Da Dao's expression froze for a moment. Then he gritted his teeth and shouted at Chen Xia's back.
"I'm willing to help you publicize it!"
"Okay, you'll get ten percent of the profit." Chen Xia's back paused, and he replied.
"Isn't it a bit too much for you to take so much? What if the Law Elder behind doesn't agree?"
Pan Da Dao asked with some worry.
"I'll take seventy percent, and he'll get thirty percent at the minimum."
Chen Xia replied calmly. He was a preparatory disciple, and the ones he was collecting from were also preparatory disciples. So he definitely had to get the larger share.
That made sense, right?
Then he didn't wait for Pan Da Dao's reply. His back walked farther and farther away.
Actually, whether Pan Da Dao helped or not, Chen Xia could still manage it. It was just that Chen Xia was a bit afraid of trouble, so he wanted to ask Pan Da Dao to do it.
Now that it was settled, he was ready to go back to his cave and lie down to collect money.
Pan Da Dao quickly walked towards the formal disciple area. As long as he could reach an agreement with the Law Elder behind the scenes, then there wouldn't be too much obstacle in collecting spirit stones from the preparatory disciples.
Thinking of this, Pan Da Dao couldn't help but sigh at Chen Xia's boldness.
In the past, for this kind of business, it was usually the elders behind the scenes who got the larger share, and the formal disciples only got some benefits.
As a minor elder like him, he wasn't even qualified to get a share.
Chen Xia, as a preparatory disciple, actually wanted to take seventy percent of the business of collecting from the preparatory disciples. Pan Da Dao couldn't help but sigh at his great courage.
However, thinking about it carefully, it seemed that Chen Xia was doing this kind of business for the second time. The first time he did it so well that he ended up in prison for five hundred years.
It also showed from the side how powerful Chen Xia was.
After going around for a while, Pan Da Dao arrived at the formal disciple area. In the name of bringing a message for Chen Xia, he asked to meet the Law Elder.
Chen Xia's name was still quite useful in the current Heavenly Sword Sea. There was no obstruction, and Pan Da Dao met the Law Elder within half an hour.
There were a total of six Law Elders in the entire Heavenly Sword Sea. This was the fourth one, also known as the Fourth Law Elder.
"What's Chen Xia's business?" The Fourth Law Elder sat high on a heavy chair, and the golden robe on him was full of majesty.
"Chen... Chen Xia wants to get a share of the spirit stones from the preparatory disciples."
Facing such majesty, Pan Da Dao started to stutter when speaking.
The Fourth Law Elder frowned. He had already expected that Chen Xia would want a share, after all, he did have the qualification.
He just didn't expect it to come so soon.
He gently tapped his fingers on the chair, without showing any emotion, and continued to ask, "How much does Chen Xia want to take?"
"Seven... seventy-thirty split." Pan Da Dao stammered out the words.
"Thirty percent?" The Fourth Law Elder frowned, and his tone became a bit heavier. "Asking for thirty percent right away. Chen Xia's appetite is really big."
Hearing this, Pan Da Dao fell silent. He didn't dare to explain.
"Now there are eight hundred preparatory disciples. Each pays ten spirit stones, that's eight thousand in total. Thirty percent of that is two thousand four hundred!"
"I might not even get thirty percent of my share. Can Chen Xia really have such a big appetite?!"
The Fourth Law Elder questioned, and the formal disciples standing beside also started whispering.
"Chen Xia is really asking for too much. He thinks that just because he killed Qiong Qi, he's invincible."
"Arrogant, too arrogant. He's really too conceited."
"..."
Pan Da Dao gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, with sweat constantly flowing out and soaking his palms. He forced himself to suppress the nervousness in his heart and continued.
"Yes... yes... it's you who gets thirty percent, and he... he gets seventy percent."
As soon as these words came out, both the Fourth Law Elder and the formal disciples fell silent.
After a long while, the Fourth Law Elder asked in a low voice.
"I have the highest status and put in the most effort. In the end, I can only get thirty percent?!"
Pan Da Dao braced himself and replied, "That's what Chen Xia said."
"Then am I just a beggar kneeling and begging?!"
The Fourth Law Elder's tone was angry.
Pan Da Dao's body trembled, and he didn't dare to reply anymore.
"Damn it!" The Fourth Law Elder cursed again, then turned to look at the group of formal disciples and asked.
"Who among you will go and teach this Chen Xia a lesson?!"
The formal disciples below looked at each other, but no one took the initiative to speak.
Suddenly, a figure sitting quietly at the back stood up. Wearing a golden robe that shone brightly, it was Di Du. There was a faint smile on his lips.
"To fight a potential Great Emperor, it has to be another potential Great Emperor who goes."
"In my opinion..."
"Let Qiu Li go."