Chương 130: 17-23
Chapter 17 - First punishment
The news of the procurement mistake spread like wildfire throughout the Spirit Crane Palace. Everyone, from ordinary disciples to elite and core disciples, rushed over upon hearing it.
Each person who arrived knelt without hesitation, pleading on behalf of Chu Xinghe.
This scene made Wei Deqian's scalp tingle.
He found it hard to imagine how one person could inspire the entire Spirit Crane Palace to come out and plead for him.
Not only Wei Deqian, but the Great Elder was also shocked.
However, beyond the shock, he felt more joy.
The Great Elder knew that Chu Xinghe was well-liked in the Spirit Crane Palace. Previously, his senior brothers had gone to great lengths for his trip to the Spirit Tomb.
But witnessing today's scene, the Great Elder realized he had underestimated Chu Xinghe.
It's easy to share wealth and honor, but difficult to share adversity.
If Chu Xinghe had been rewarded today and everyone came to congratulate him, the Great Elder wouldn't have found it strange at all.
But today, Chu Xinghe had made a grave mistake. In his anger, the Great Elder expected the children to know his temper. In the past, those who pleaded were punished along with the offender.
"Stand up, all of you! Anyone who dares to plead again will be punished!" the Great Elder shouted sternly.
Yet, at that moment, not a single person stood up. Everyone remained kneeling, unmoving.
This scene truly shocked the Great Elder... but it also filled him with comfort.
He had uttered those words just to see if, faced with his punishment, these people would turn away out of fear or truly stand by their Junior Brother Xinghe.
Now the Great Elder had his answer.
This brat, Chu Xinghe...
Since the founding of the Grand Sky Sect and the establishment of the Spirit Crane Palace, never had there been someone with such charisma, who could, in such a short time, make the entire Spirit Crane Palace willing to be punished for him!
But thinking carefully, the Great Elder understood that Chu Xinghe hadn't done anything extraordinary... He simply remained true to himself, showing utmost humility to every senior brother, eagerly taking on all the hard and tiring tasks.
From an elite disciple to a core disciple, and then to his personal disciple, he almost became the Sect Master's personal disciple. If it were someone else, wouldn't they be arrogant beyond measure?
But not Chu Xinghe. He remained the same exemplary junior brother in everyone's eyes, never changing his attitude towards his senior brothers, regardless of his status. Even when meeting the most ordinary disciple of the Spirit Crane Palace, Chu Xinghe would respectfully greet them with a "Good morning, Senior Brother."
No matter who sought Chu Xinghe's help, he always obliged. Tasks others were unwilling to do, he would do. Things others found tiring, he didn't mind.
Such a Chu Xinghe had, invisibly, influenced the entire Spirit Crane Palace. And no matter who made a mistake, if others didn't dare to plead, Chu Xinghe dared.
Even when the Great Elder, in his angriest moments, had said that anyone who dared to plead again would be expelled from the Grand Sky Sect.
Yet the Great Elder still remembered Chu Xinghe's determined eyes and words at that time.
"Great Elder, if expelling me from the sect can appease your anger, then please, Great Elder, expel me. Although my senior brother made a mistake, it was unintentional and shouldn't be punished so severely. If punishment is necessary, punish me instead! Please spare my senior brother!"
These were Chu Xinghe's words. Since he entered the Spirit Crane Palace, whenever a senior brother made a mistake, there was always Chu Xinghe pleading to take the punishment in their place.
Once... twice... every time...
The Great Elder couldn't recall how many times it had happened, but he knew that in the Spirit Crane Palace, Junior Brother Xinghe was someone everyone talked about daily. Even in private, he had never heard anyone speak ill of Chu Xinghe.
Elders from the Spirit Crane Palace also rushed over from all directions, each one shocked by the scene.
But soon, the elders spoke up: "Great Elder, no one is perfect. You know Xinghe's disposition best. This is indeed his first time handling such a matter, and mistakes are inevitable. Not to mention Xinghe, even you and I made mistakes in our youth."
"Yes, Great Elder, using the Grand Sky Token was indeed a transgression, but since the Sect Master entrusted it to Xinghe, he didn't say it couldn't be used!"
"Exactly! The Sect Master didn't say it couldn't be used. Besides, Xinghe didn't use the Grand Sky Token for any wrongdoing. You've been so busy these days, Great Elder, that he probably couldn't find you at the time, and not knowing the rules, he had no choice."
"Wei Deqian, did Xinghe say he couldn't find the Great Elder because he was busy?" an elder glared at Wei Deqian.
"Uh... yes... yes... I remember Xinghe was desperately looking for the Great Elder but couldn't find him, fearing a delay in procurement, so he reluctantly used the Grand Sky Token. It's my fault for not explaining things clearly to Xinghe at the time, so it wasn't intentional on his part!"
Wei Deqian was completely making things up!
But at this point, if Wei Deqian had even one functioning brain cell, he knew what could and couldn't be said.
If he were to recount the situation truthfully, wouldn't the people of Spirit Crane Palace skin him alive?
Never mind that he weighed over three hundred pounds; it wouldn't be enough for each of them to take a bite.
Someone who could make the entire Spirit Crane Palace plead for him—would you dare speak ill of such a person?
The Great Elder looked at Wei Deqian, clearly satisfied with his response.
Everyone was satisfied, except for Chu Xinghe!
You damn fatso... what nonsense are you spouting? Was that how it happened?
Chu Xinghe wanted to jump up and give that fatso a slap, but he couldn't. The scene of so many senior brothers and elders pleading for him was a huge shock to Chu Xinghe as well.
There are things one should and shouldn't do. With so many senior brothers and elders pleading, he couldn't say another word, no matter what.
"Chu Xinghe!"
"Disciple is here..."
"Using the Grand Sky Token without permission is a serious crime in the Grand Sky Sect. But considering your short time in the sect and your unfamiliarity with the rules, it's understandable. However, mistakes must be punished. Do you accept this?"
"Merit must be rewarded, and faults must be punished. Disciple is willing to accept any punishment. Please, Great Elder, pass judgment." Chu Xinghe was excited inside!
I'm finally going to be punished!
"Very well. This procurement mistake also involves Feng Fei, so he will be penalized with six months of resources."
"Disciple thanks the Great Elder for his mercy." Feng Fei expressed his gratitude, knowing that this punishment... in the Spirit Crane Palace, which handles pills, was merely a formality.
"Chu Xinghe, for using the Grand Sky Token without permission, but considering the circumstances, you are sentenced to confinement in the Medicine King Palace for three months. During this time, you are only allowed to practice alchemy and cannot step outside the Medicine King Palace. The Grand Sky Token will be reclaimed by the sect, and I will report this matter to the Sect Master."
"Thank you, Great Elder, for your mercy..." Countless senior brothers and elders bowed in gratitude to the Great Elder, finally showing smiles on their faces.
Confined in the Medicine King Palace for three months? This punishment was nothing. Junior Brother Xinghe could focus on cultivation in the Medicine King Palace for three months, and if he needed anything, couldn't his senior brothers bring it to him?
Everyone laughed... but Chu Xinghe cried.
Is that it? Great Elder... couldn't you at least strip me of my personal disciple status?
Losing the personal disciple status would directly promote him to Fifth Grade, so what was the point of just confinement?
But at this point, Chu Xinghe had no choice. Three months of confinement it was, better than nothing.
And as the Great Elder's words fell, Chu Xinghe felt a jolt in his head. The next second, the Compass of Misfortune hidden in his mind spun for the first time.
The needle quickly stopped on the three-month confinement punishment, indicating the completion of his task, and the reward appeared before Chu Xinghe.
Punished with three months of confinement, rewarded with a peak Second Grade Martial Master cultivation level...
Chu Xinghe felt an invisible force released from the compass, and his spiritual power suddenly surged. Having just broken through to the initial Second Grade, Chu Xinghe instantly reached the peak of the Second Grade Martial Master realm...
Awesome!
Though the reward was small, it was still something. Finally, he saw hope!
The Great Elder left the Spirit Crane Palace with the Grand Sky Token. This matter was too significant and had to be reported to the Sect Master.
Many senior brothers came to comfort Chu Xinghe.
"Junior Brother Xinghe, it's Senior Brother Feng's fault. Your good intentions were misplaced!" Feng Fei said, full of guilt.
"Senior Brother Feng, you are mistaken. It's I who should apologize to you. My oversight led to this result, and now you're punished along with me. I feel... I feel..."
"Sigh... Junior Brother Xinghe, Senior Brother Feng's punishment isn't really a punishment. In the Spirit Crane Palace, where pill resources are abundant, it's nothing. So, Junior Brother, don't blame yourself."
"Exactly, exactly. Last time, when I made a mistake, without Junior Brother Xinghe, I might have been expelled from the Spirit Crane Palace."
"And me... Junior Brother Xinghe, you've always been so righteous to us senior brothers. We won't just stand by and watch you get punished!"
"Yes, yes! Junior Brother Xinghe, don't worry. Three months will pass quickly. Just focus on your cultivation in the Medicine King Palace. If you need anything, just let us know, and we'll get it for you."
"Thank you, senior brothers." At this moment, Chu Xinghe was truly moved.
Many elders also came to comfort Chu Xinghe, saying things like not to harbor any resentment towards the Great Elder's punishment, as it was out of deep love and concern.
Deep love and concern... Chu Xinghe almost spat. Was this even a punishment?
The punishment I wanted wasn't like this at all...
The Great Elder personally went to the Grand Sky Palace to return the Grand Sky Token. Upon hearing the situation, the Sect Master was also shocked.
It's not difficult for a disciple to have a group plead for them, but for a disciple to have the entire Spirit Crane Palace plead for them was simply incredible.
Regarding the Great Elder's punishment, the Sect Master merely said he understood and instructed the Great Elder to keep an eye on that brat Chu Xinghe, ensuring he not only learned alchemy but also didn't neglect the cultivation of the Grand Sky Battle Intent.
Hearing this, the Great Elder breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that he had passed the Sect Master's test as well.
After all, the Great Elder knew his punishment was nothing, and whether the Sect Master would be dissatisfied. But since the Sect Master said so, it meant he was pleased with the Great Elder's approach.
The news quickly spread throughout the Grand Sky Sect.
The fact that the entire Spirit Crane Palace knelt to plead for Chu Xinghe's mistake left many in disbelief.
"I'm telling you, if I were there, I would definitely plead for Senior Brother Xinghe!" Wan Lin, now an elite disciple of the Hill Forest Palace, declared upon hearing the news. She didn't care what other senior sisters or junior sisters in the Hill Forest Palace thought; she was firmly supporting Chu Xinghe.
"Senior Brother Xinghe is the most virtuous person I've ever met. He's impeccable towards his fellow disciples. I'm not good with words, but if Senior Brother Xinghe is in trouble, I, Wan Lin, would risk my life to help!"
Wan Lin had unknowingly become a little fangirl of Chu Xinghe...
Chapter 18 - What do you all mean by wanting Shenling Grass?
Wan Lin had become a little fangirl of Chu Xinghe.
And in the Grand Sky Sect, Wan Lin wasn't the only little fanboy or fangirl.
Those who had followed Chu Xinghe and received spirit weapons would definitely give him a thumbs up for his character.
"Senior Brother Xinghe is the most upright person I've ever met. In my life, I only look up to Senior Brother Xinghe!"
"Back in the Spirit Tomb, I even doubted if Senior Brother Xinghe was tricking us. I still lose sleep over this, thinking how narrow-minded I was to suspect him."
"Three months of confinement, isn't that too harsh a punishment for Senior Brother Xinghe? Couldn't it have been just three days..."
Many people were speechless at the notion that three months of confinement was too harsh.
Guys... do you even know what mistake Chu Xinghe made?
First, he bought three million Shenling Grass plants. Although our Grand Sky Sect is wealthy, three million plants... that price could bankrupt a small country.
And then, he went on to use the Grand Sky Token without permission. The Grand Sky Token is something only the Sect Master can use... even the Great Elder doesn't have the right to use it unless the Sect Master is absent.
This was a colossal overstep.
To put it bluntly, if it were anyone else, they'd have been executed on the spot.
Even if they were a core disciple, being expelled from the sect wouldn't be out of the question.
But for Chu Xinghe? Three months of confinement... and it's in the Medicine King Palace? Is that even confinement? Why not say he's confined in the Grand Sky Sect itself?
He's originally a disciple of the Spirit Crane Palace, and the newly built Medicine King Palace has a hundred rooms for him to sleep in every day. He wouldn't even get through a tenth of them in three months. Is such a vast place really confinement?
No matter how you look at it, Chu Xinghe's punishment is truly convincing.
Using the Grand Sky Token without permission, punished with three months of confinement... it's unprecedented in the history of the Grand Sky Sect.
But you can't even be jealous. The entire Spirit Crane Palace knelt to plead for him, and every elder of the Spirit Crane Palace was present to intercede for Chu Xinghe. Is this about jealousy or not?
Even disciples outside the Spirit Crane Palace stood up to support Chu Xinghe.
When the matter was reported, the Sect Master merely acknowledged it without any intention of further pursuing it.
So this outcome was set in stone.
But when this news reached the outer sect, Chu Cheng spat out two liang of blood.
"Chu Xinghe is a damn scoundrel... he's two-faced... he's utterly despicable inside, and you've all been fooled by his facade, you've all been deceived..."
Chu Cheng shouted for a whole day, but who would care, right?
In the Medicine King Palace, the Great Elder continued as usual, teaching Chu Xinghe, helping him quickly grasp the inheritance of the Medicine Saint.
The Great Elder didn't mention the previous incident at all, as if it never happened, but he was secretly observing Chu Xinghe, worried whether this punishment would affect him.
But soon, the Great Elder was reassured.
Because whenever Chu Xinghe said or did something wrong, he would still come out and confront the Great Elder head-on, even if the Great Elder threatened further punishment, he wouldn't back down!
When other senior brothers made mistakes, he would still jump out to plead for them, not fearing punishment at all.
Seeing this, the Great Elder sighed, "God Bless Grand Sky!"
This child has a pure and sincere disposition, and wasn't affected by the punishment at all, which shows he truly understands his mistakes and accepts the punishment willingly, without any resentment. This child is truly worth everyone's intercession.
Moreover, this punishment allowed the Great Elder to give Chu Xinghe good lessons, helping him better grasp knowledge.
In the morning, he practiced the Grand Sky Battle Intent under the Great Elder's supervision, and in the afternoon, he learned alchemy knowledge with the Great Elder's personal guidance. Even a biological son wouldn't receive such treatment.
At the Daxing Chamber of Commerce, Wei Deqian, who had just returned from delivering goods, couldn't forget what happened at the Spirit Crane Palace.
Wei Deqian didn't know who Chu Xinghe was, but he knew this was someone he couldn't afford to offend in his lifetime.
Someone who could have the entire Spirit Crane Palace plead for him, if you provoke him... do you believe the Spirit Crane Palace would be more ruthless in cutting someone down than in pleading for him?
Wei Deqian wrote Chu Xinghe's name in a little notebook and instructed all his chief managers that there was someone named Chu Xinghe in the Grand Sky Sect, and they should never provoke him. If anyone did, they should go home and hang themselves, rather than implicate the Daxing Chamber of Commerce.
After giving all the instructions, Wei Deqian breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he put the matter of Chu Xinghe aside, a servant came to report.
"Master, Elder Ma from the Star Moon Sect is here!"
"What! Quickly... quickly invite Elder Ma to the VIP room!"
"He has already been invited, just waiting for you to go over."
"Alright, alright... let's hurry."
Wei Deqian quickly got up. The Star Moon Sect was also something he couldn't afford to offend.
The Star Moon Sect was one of the top ten sects in the world. Although it wasn't as good as the Grand Sky Sect, it was still a colossal entity, capable of wiping out the Daxing Chamber of Commerce with a flick of a finger. Usually, such a giant would have him come to them, so why did the elder come personally today?
Upon reaching the VIP room, Wei Deqian repeatedly apologized to Elder Ma for not being able to welcome him from afar, saying it was a great discourtesy.
Elder Ma, sitting on a chair, merely glanced at Wei Deqian and waved his hand, indicating for him to sit and talk.
"Wei Deqian, business has been booming lately, huh? The Grand Sky Sect has been purchasing quite a bit from you," Elder Ma teased, stroking his small beard.
"Elder Ma, you're joking. The Daxing Chamber of Commerce is just here to serve these great sects. Any profit is thanks to esteemed people like you, Elder Ma. What virtue or ability do I, Wei Deqian, have? It's all because of your favor."
"Hahaha... Wei Fatty, your mouth..." Elder Ma was amused by a few words.
"Elder Ma, your esteemed presence today, what instructions do you have for me? Just say the word, and I'll serve you."
"My Star Moon Sect needs to purchase a batch of medicinal materials. Here's the list. Prepare it and send it to the Star Moon Sect. The price should be the same as the Grand Sky Sect's; I won't ask more."
"Ah! Rest assured, Elder Ma, the medicinal materials will be delivered without any discrepancies..." Wei Deqian was about to say he'd deliver them, but was stunned when he saw the list.
"Elder... Elder Ma... I dare to ask you to look at this list again. The Shenling Grass on it..." Wei Deqian handed the list to Elder Ma, unable to understand why there were fifty thousand Shenling Grass plants on it. What was this?
Damn it, do all you big sects like making the same mistake? The Grand Sky Sect just bought the wrong Shenling Grass, and now the Star Moon Sect is doing the same?
"No need, the number of Shenling Grass is correct. Just prepare according to the list." Elder Ma waved his hand, indicating he didn't need to look again.
But hearing Elder Ma's words, Wei Deqian was on the verge of tears.
"Elder Ma... everything else is fine, but... but the Shenling Grass... there's really none left..."
"None? Your Daxing Chamber of Commerce can't even get Shenling Grass? Fifty thousand might be a lot, but it shouldn't be impossible!" Elder Ma frowned, was this Wei Fatty tired of living?
Wei Deqian was almost in tears.
"Elder Ma... you might not know, but it wasn't hard for the Daxing Chamber of Commerce to get fifty thousand Shenling Grass before, but... but a few days ago, the Grand Sky Sect bought three million Shenling Grass in one go. Almost all the Shenling Grass on the market has been scooped up by me... all the Shenling Grass is with the Grand Sky Sect..."
"What!" Elder Ma's face changed drastically upon hearing this.
"Then how much can you get now?"
"To be honest, not even five thousand... let alone fifty thousand..."
Elder Ma was dumbfounded, glancing at Wei Deqian. This fatty definitely didn't have the guts to joke with him, so there was only one possibility: did the Grand Sky Sect know about that matter...
It's possible... given the Grand Sky Sect's intelligence, they must have known and preemptively bought all the Shenling Grass to cut off the Star Moon Sect's retreat!
Elder Ma left the Daxing Chamber of Commerce with a heavy heart, as he needed to report this matter to the sect immediately.
Wei Deqian, trembling with fear, saw Elder Ma off. Just as he sat down to catch his breath, his staff came in: "Master, Elder Shangguan from the East Moon Pavilion is here..."
"What?" Wei Deqian was dumbfounded. What was going on today... were all these big shots out of their minds?
But Wei Deqian still hurried to the VIP room. After a round of flattery that made Elder Shangguan comfortable, Elder Shangguan also presented a procurement list.
With just a glance, Wei Deqian was stunned.
The procurement list still had Shenling Grass... and it was another fifty thousand batch!
Was today haunted?
The Shenling Grass that couldn't be sold before was now something everyone was fighting over? What, are you buying it to weave straw sandals?
Wei Deqian gave the same answer to Elder Shangguan from the East Moon Pavilion, who was equally shocked and then left with a heavy heart.
What on earth was going on?
Wei Deqian was curious but didn't dare to inquire. Was a small Daxing Chamber of Commerce qualified to pry into the affairs of the top ten sects? Was he tired of living?
But just as Wei Deqian breathed another sigh of relief, his staff came again.
"Master... Elder Xu from North Mystic City is here..."
"VIP room, then..." Wei Deqian walked into the VIP room with a numb expression, but as soon as he entered, his face was once again filled with smiles.
Flattery was the usual opening, followed by the familiar list... the familiar Shenling Grass... the familiar answer... the familiar heavy heart...
Now Wei Deqian was also heavy-hearted...
Does weaving straw sandals with Shenling Grass have some special effect? Or does the Stone Breaking Pill grant immortality? Otherwise, why were all the top ten sects acting crazy?
Similarly heavy-hearted was Chu Xinghe in the Medicine King Palace.
"This isn't right! I bought Shenling Grass and caused such a loss to the sect, so why didn't the Compass of Misfortune give me a reward?" Chu Xinghe realized that according to the usual pattern, he should receive a reward for being punished, but he should also get a reward for causing damage to the sect. So why didn't he?
Chu Xinghe pondered this question for several days and finally came up with the only explanation... Although he bought too much Shenling Grass, the price was fixed, and even if it was piled up in the Medicine King Palace's warehouse, it was still a fixed asset. The Compass of Misfortune's calculation of loss wasn't just about buying the wrong thing; it required an actual loss. Even if he bought a pile of junk with something useful, as long as the value remained unchanged, it wasn't considered a loss.
With this calculation, Chu Xinghe understood that causing a loss to the sect through procurement wasn't feasible; he needed to do something more practical...
Chapter 19 - Three sects come to the door
At the Medicine King Palace, the Great Elder set a daily confinement plan for Chu Xinghe.
In the morning, he practiced the Grand Sky Battle Intent and familiarized himself with the Grand Sky Sword Box. Elders from all over the Medicine King Palace took turns sparring with Chu Xinghe. Although it was painful, his combat power visibly soared.
However, Chu Xinghe found that he could still only use one Flying Locust from the Grand Sky Sword Box, and couldn't use the other Divine Swords yet, likely because his cultivation level hadn't reached the required stage.
The afternoons were grueling, as the Great Elder personally taught Chu Xinghe the art of alchemy. Even with the Medicine Saint's inheritance, guidance was necessary to fully absorb it. The Great Elder's teaching method was simple and brutal: practice!
Relentlessly practicing alchemy!
As it turned out, the Great Elder's methods were indeed effective.
When Chu Xinghe first successfully crafted a Fourth Grade pill, an exceptional Blood Spirit Pill, the Great Elder finally smiled. At the same time, Chu Xinghe had indeed grasped some of the essence. From then on, as long as he wasn't distracted, he could often produce exceptional pills.
"This is what the Medicine Saint's inheritance should look like!" The Great Elder beamed at the exceptional pills Chu Xinghe produced.
However, Chu Xinghe wasn't the only one suffering at the Medicine King Palace; Feng Fei was also having a tough time.
Although no one blamed him for the three million Shenling Grass situation, Feng Fei still felt very guilty. So, he had been pondering how to deal with the three million Shenling Grass.
The Grand Sky Sect had its own trade caravan, and Feng Fei had approached them. But when they heard about selling three million Shenling Grass, the caravan steward was nearly scared out of his wits!
It's no exaggeration to say that the demand for Shenling Grass outside was almost nonexistent.
Forget three million, even selling thirty thousand a year would require trickery and deceit.
So, the three million Shenling Grass were just sitting in the newly built herb warehouse of the Medicine King Palace, serving no purpose at all.
Feng Fei also discussed it with the Great Elder, who suggested that Feng Fei handle it himself.
Feng Fei gritted his teeth and stomped his foot, thinking if worse comes to worst, he could sell them at a discount. Although it would be a loss, at least they could be dealt with.
Feng Fei was extremely troubled by the Shenling Grass issue.
One day, while the Great Elder was instructing Chu Xinghe in alchemy, a disciple entered. The Great Elder looked up to see Shen Chun.
"Great Elder, Elder Ma from the Star Moon Sect, Elder Shangguan from the East Moon Pavilion, and Elder Xu from North Mystic City have arrived together..."
"What?" The Great Elder was taken aback upon hearing about these three.
Among the top ten sects in the world, the Grand Sky Sect was firmly at the top, but there were nine other powerful sects below it, including these three.
Although the top ten sects had interactions, it was unprecedented for the elders of three sects to appear at the Grand Sky Sect together.
The Great Elder knew that unless there was something important, they wouldn't have come.
Glancing at the resting Chu Xinghe, the Great Elder said, "Stop pretending to be dead and come with me to meet the elders of these three sects. Also, Shen Chun, inform Feng Fei to entertain the esteemed guests first. I'll be there shortly."
Shen Chun left to carry out the orders, and Chu Xinghe quickly got up.
As long as he wasn't forced to practice alchemy, he was willing to do anything!
With the three elders visiting together, the Great Elder dared not be negligent. He changed into his purple-gold thunder-patterned robe, which symbolized his status as the Great Elder.
Chu Xinghe also donned his personal disciple attire, a black robe with gold trim and cloud patterns, adorned with star patterns, making it look extremely luxurious.
Following the Great Elder to the largest guest room in the Medicine King Palace, they entered to find the three old fellows admiring the newly built Medicine King Palace.
"Elders, sorry to keep you waiting," the Great Elder said with a smile as he entered.
"Great Elder, we were just discussing the Medicine King Palace. This newly built palace is truly magnificent!" Elder Shangguan, who also practiced alchemy, remarked. However, their East Moon Pavilion could never have such a grand and luxurious alchemy site as the Medicine King Palace.
"The Grand Sky Sect is indeed worthy of its name. Such a Medicine King Palace is truly a grand undertaking," Elder Xu added politely.
"More than the Medicine King Palace, I'm interested in seeing the disciple who received the Medicine Saint's inheritance. I assume it's the young man behind the Great Elder?" Elder Ma's gaze locked onto Chu Xinghe.
The news of the Medicine Saint's inheritance couldn't be hidden, and everyone had already heard about it. Although the specifics were unclear, with Elder Ma's words, all eyes turned to Chu Xinghe.
"Junior Chu Xinghe greets the esteemed elders," Chu Xinghe stepped forward and respectfully saluted the three elders.
"Good child... no need for formalities... Oh dear, I came in such a hurry, I didn't prepare anything..." The three elders laughed heartily, but their eyes scanned Chu Xinghe up and down, as if trying to memorize every detail about him.
The Great Elder invited the three elders to sit, while Chu Xinghe and Feng Fei served tea and then stood behind the Great Elder.
After some pleasantries, Elder Ma got to the point.
"Great Elder, we have come with a request."
"Elder Ma, there's no need for formalities. The top ten sects are like branches of the same tree. What request? If the Grand Sky Sect can help, we will not hesitate!"
As the Great Elder finished speaking, Elder Ma remained unmoved.
Not hesitate? I don't believe you... but outwardly, he showed gratitude and said, "Our Star Moon Sect wishes to purchase five hundred thousand Shenling Grass from the Grand Sky Sect!"
As soon as Elder Ma spoke, the Great Elder was visibly stunned.
What? Buy five hundred thousand Shenling Grass? Is Elder Ma drunk?
But before the Great Elder could figure out what was going on, the other two elders spoke up, and their requests were identical to Elder Ma's—they also wanted to buy five hundred thousand Shenling Grass!
Each of the three sects wanted to buy five hundred thousand, totaling one and a half million Shenling Grass!
Upon hearing this, even Chu Xinghe was bewildered. Was this some kind of joke? Why were they scrambling for Shenling Grass, which was practically worthless?
But Feng Fei was so excited he could almost jump for joy.
He had been troubled by how to deal with three million Shenling Grass, and now selling one and a half million at once, even though half remained, was still a huge relief!
Feng Fei looked at the Great Elder with excitement, as if urging him to agree and sell them quickly.
But amidst Feng Fei's excitement, the Great Elder spoke, "You must be joking. One and a half million Shenling Grass? Even if we gathered all the resources of the Grand Sky Sect, we wouldn't have that many. So, I'm afraid you've made a wasted trip."
Feng Fei was dumbfounded...
Chu Xinghe was also puzzled. The Great Elder had been troubled by the Shenling Grass issue just yesterday, so why wasn't he selling them now that there were buyers?
There's a conspiracy! There must be a conspiracy here!
Chapter 20 - Senior Brother Xinghe has made another contribution
The Great Elder's refusal was unexpected by everyone.
Clearly, the Grand Sky Sect wanted to deal with three million Shenling Grass, but why did the Great Elder respond this way when three parties came to buy it?
Feng Fei was so anxious he was about to jump up and down.
But Chu Xinghe quickly caught on.
There's a conspiracy! This is definitely a conspiracy.
Three elders from the Top Ten Sects showed up at the same time, all wanting Shenling Grass. This is obviously fishy.
Under normal circumstances, to buy some Shenling Grass, they wouldn't need to show up personally. They could just send a disciple to negotiate with Feng Fei, right? Even though the amount is huge, there's no need for the elders to come in person, is there?
"Elder Ma, we've already been to the Daxing Chamber of Commerce," Elder Ma seemed to have anticipated the Great Elder's answer and spoke directly.
"Oh? Since when did Fatty Wei learn to talk nonsense! Feng Fei, arrange for someone to give Fatty Wei a lesson tomorrow."
"Yes..." Feng Fei accepted the order.
The Great Elder leisurely sipped his tea, looking like he didn't care what they said, refusing to admit anything.
Finally, the impatient Elder Shangguan couldn't hold back.
"Great Elder, we all understand, so let's not play dumb. The spirit cave was discovered by our three families. The Grand Sky Sect should know that the spirit cave is filled with petrifying poisonous insects. Without the Stone Breaking Pill, it's impossible for disciples to enter. But the Grand Sky Sect's actions to cut off our retreat are a bit too much!"
As soon as Elder Shangguan said this, Elder Ma and Elder Xu nodded in agreement.
But the Great Elder was stunned...
What the heck? A spirit cave?
Chu Xinghe was also dumbfounded... He bought the Shenling Grass without any other intentions, just wanting to mess with the Grand Sky Sect. But who would have thought that instead of messing with the Grand Sky Sect, he ended up trapping these three families?
The three families had recently discovered a spirit cave together, but after exploration, they found that the underground spirit cave was filled with small insects that could petrify and poison people.
To enter, they needed to prepare a large number of Stone Breaking Pills.
The three families agreed to prepare their own Stone Breaking Pills, but unexpectedly, when buying Shenling Grass, they found that the Grand Sky Sect had taken all of it.
The first reaction of the three families was that the information had leaked, and the Grand Sky Sect must have known about the spirit cave, using this method to force the three families, which led to the three elders coming together.
Now that everything was out in the open.
The three families' meaning was clear: since the Grand Sky Sect already knew, they wouldn't be pretentious. They would split the spirit cave equally among the four families.
"Half!" The Great Elder put down his teacup and spoke.
"Great Elder, isn't that a bit too much? There are only three hundred spots in the spirit cave, and it's impossible for the Grand Sky Sect to take half!" Elder Shangguan was so angry he almost smashed his teacup.
The atmosphere became tense, but eventually, Elder Ma sighed and spoke: "One hundred spots. The Grand Sky Sect will take one hundred spots in the spirit cave. That's our limit. If the Grand Sky Sect doesn't agree, we'll have to go to Martial Emperor City. With Martial Emperor City's resources, they might be able to prepare the Shenling Grass."
"Deal!" The Great Elder didn't hesitate for a moment.
After completing this transaction, the Great Elder obtained all sorts of information about the spirit cave from the three elders, and with a wave of his hand, he gave them 1.5 million Shenling Grass. Why buy it when we're all part of the Top Ten Sects? We'll give it to you!
And not only will we give it to you, but we'll also help you refine the Stone Breaking Pills and deliver them to you.
The elders of the three sects were so angry at the Great Elder's bundled offer that their beards curled up.
How much is 1.5 million Shenling Grass worth? As for the so-called help with refining, is that really help? Damn it, it's just to prevent the three families from ditching the Grand Sky Sect. As long as the Stone Breaking Pills are in the Grand Sky Sect's hands, the three families can't leave them out.
The Great Elder cheerfully escorted the three sect elders out of the Grand Sky Sect's mountain gate.
Once he confirmed the three had left, the Great Elder burst into laughter.
A spirit cave!
The Great Elder never dreamed that Chu Xinghe's random actions would inadvertently choke the three sects, bringing the Grand Sky Sect the news of the spirit cave.
The so-called spirit cave is an ancient relic that, after absorbing the essence of heaven and earth, gives birth to a spirit cave. It's most suitable for disciples before the Grand Martial Master realm to enter. The spirit liquid inside can help these disciples cleanse their marrow and bones, with the effect of rebirth.
Spirit caves are extremely rare, and any family that discovers one would keep it as a top-secret.
This time, the three sects discovered a spirit cave, and even the Grand Sky Sect's intelligence network hadn't caught a whiff of it. But man proposes, and God disposes!
Who would have thought that Chu Xinghe messed up the procurement order, and the purchase of three million Shenling Grass directly thwarted all the three sects' plans?
The three sects had no idea that the Grand Sky Sect bought the Shenling Grass by accident. After all, who would think that the Grand Sky Sect could have such an accident?
But this accident brought unimaginable benefits to the Grand Sky Sect!
The Great Elder immediately reported the news to the Sect Master, and after hearing what the Great Elder said, Gu Mingchao was stunned for a moment.
Chu Xinghe's purchase of three million Shenling Grass was originally a huge mistake, but now, this mistake has become a great opportunity for the Grand Sky Sect.
To this, Gu Mingchao could only say, this is probably destiny.
Subsequently, the Great Elder informed all the palaces of the spirit cave news, causing a stir among them.
First, the elders of each palace were informed that the one hundred spots would be distributed among the palaces, meaning each palace would benefit. After their disciples underwent marrow cleansing and bone refining, their future cultivation paths would be smoother. This is a huge opportunity.
The elders of each palace were both amused and exasperated when they heard it was all because Chu Xinghe accidentally bought three million Shenling Grass.
And the disciples of each palace were all extremely excited upon hearing the news.
Although only one hundred could go to the spirit cave for marrow cleansing and bone refining, for the three thousand new disciples of the Grand Sky Sect, most of them might not even have the chance to compete for a spot.
But don't forget, even after the spirit liquid in the spirit cave is diluted during marrow cleansing and bone refining, it can still be brought back. Using the remaining spiritual energy, it can be refined into Marrow Cleansing Pills through alchemy. Although not as effective as direct marrow cleansing and bone refining, it's still an invaluable treasure.
So Chu Xinghe's unintended action not only brought one hundred spots for marrow cleansing and bone refining in the spirit cave but also allowed every new disciple to receive a Marrow Cleansing Pill!
For a time, the entire Grand Sky Sect was filled with joy.
But amidst this joyful atmosphere, Chu Xinghe was both laughing and crying. It was too much!
I just wanted to buy three million Shenling Grass to cause some losses for the sect, what's wrong with that...
Now there's no loss, and damn it, a spirit cave has appeared.
If there's one thing that could comfort Chu Xinghe, it's that because of the spirit cave incident, his confinement was lifted early, and at the Great Elder's suggestion, Chu Xinghe became the leader of the one hundred people...
Chapter 21 - Military pledge
Chu Xinghe's confinement ended early.
No one thought there was any issue with Senior Brother Xinghe being released, after all, this time Senior Brother Xinghe had made a great contribution to the sect.
As for the Great Elder's proposal to make Chu Xinghe the team leader, the Sect Master agreed without hesitation.
The hundred spots were quickly selected by the elders from each palace, and all those chosen were the most outstanding disciples from each palace.
The Medicine King Palace was in full swing, with all disciples hastily refining Stone Breaking Pills in preparation for the upcoming spirit cave expedition.
All preparations were being carried out in an intense and orderly manner.
Wan Lin was also one of the hundred selected, and she joyfully ran over to the Medicine King Palace. As soon as she entered, she saw Chu Xinghe looking troubled.
Senior Brother Xinghe must be under immense pressure from becoming the team leader this time, worried about not being able to lead us to gain more benefits!
Thinking of this, Wan Lin's admiration for Senior Brother Xinghe grew even more.
"Senior Brother Xinghe!" Wan Lin greeted Chu Xinghe.
Chu Xinghe looked up at her chest... Hmm... quite large... no, wait... the emblem of Hill Forest Palace on her chest, he remembered now, this girl is called Wan Lin!
"Hello, Junior Sister Wan Lin, is there anything you need help with?" Chu Xinghe tried his best to avoid looking where he shouldn't.
"Senior Brother Xinghe, I'm also part of this hundred-member team. I came specifically to thank you for creating such an opportunity for everyone. But seeing you looking troubled, I thought you might be worried about not being able to lead us to gain more benefits."
Wan Lin looked at Chu Xinghe with admiration.
Chu Xinghe nodded while thinking to himself, Am I worried about not getting benefits for you guys?
I'm thinking about how to trick all of you!
I'm troubled because I can't figure out how to trick you all!
"Don't worry, Senior Brother Xinghe. Although our Grand Sky Sect is the furthest away, the elders have said that we've prepared a teleportation array, so we won't be delayed in reaching the location on time. There's still a few days before the spirit cave opens, we'll make it in time. Besides, all the Stone Breaking Pills are with us, the other three sects have no chance of entering early. If we can't make it, no one else can enter the spirit cave to get benefits!"
What?
Chu Xinghe was stunned for three seconds after hearing Wan Lin's words!
Damn, what a perfect junior sister!
Chu Xinghe had been troubled about how to trick everyone on this spirit cave trip.
The Great Elder had said that there were dangers in the spirit cave, and a single mistake could be fatal, so he had to be extremely careful.
This made Chu Xinghe worry that if he tricked everyone and got them all killed, he wouldn't be able to live with himself.
He wanted to destroy the Grand Sky Sect, not slaughter it, and all these senior brothers and sisters were good people.
So he needed to find a way to trick them without endangering their lives, which was very difficult.
But Wan Lin's words opened up another line of thinking for Chu Xinghe.
The opening of the spirit cave was time-limited, and the three sects had calculated that it would open in five days. If they missed the time, the spirit cave would automatically close, and who knew when it would open again.
The Grand Sky Sect was the furthest from the spirit cave. Although there was a teleportation array to get there quickly, what if something went wrong?
What if they couldn't make it in time and missed the opening of the spirit cave? Then not only the Grand Sky Sect, but the other three sects wouldn't be able to enter either, because the Stone Breaking Pills were with him.
At that time, it wouldn't just be the Grand Sky Sect getting tricked, but the other three sects as well!
If the Grand Sky Sect's issues caused the other three sects' disciples to miss out on the opportunity, would those three sects let it slide?
Goodness! Chu Xinghe was almost moved to tears.
What a perfect junior sister!
With excitement and joy, he sent Wan Lin off, and his previously gloomy mood instantly brightened.
Today is a good day... everything I wish for... no, no, no...
That song is unlucky! Last time I sang it, I bought three million Shenling Grass, and it resulted in a spirit cave. I can't let any accidents happen this time, I must never sing that song again!
In the following days, the Great Elder showed Chu Xinghe just how terrifying the full operation of the Medicine King Palace could be.
Nearly two million Shenling Grass were consumed, and a large batch of Stone Breaking Pills was refined.
The Great Elder divided the pills into four parts, with the Grand Sky Sect receiving the most. Let's put it this way, even if they were trapped in the spirit cave for ten days or half a month, they wouldn't need to bring food; just eating the Stone Breaking Pills would be enough to sustain them.
In the Great Elder's words, this was called being prepared for any eventuality.
The Great Elder also handed over his Elder Token to Chu Xinghe.
"When you're out, don't mess around. Take this Elder Token, and use it when you think it's necessary."
"Will I be punished like last time with the Grand Sky Token?" Chu Xinghe asked.
"Don't worry, I've already reported to the Sect Master. The Elder Token is personally given to you by me, as long as you don't misuse it, you won't be punished."
The Great Elder's words left Chu Xinghe disappointed...
After giving Chu Xinghe various instructions, the Great Elder left.
As soon as the Great Elder left, Feng Fei arrived with a group of Spirit Crane Palace senior brothers.
"Junior Brother Xinghe, these are various pills I've prepared for you... keep them safe. When you're out, don't be stingy with these pills, safety comes first!" Feng Fei advised while handing over the pills to Chu Xinghe.
"Junior Brother Xinghe, these are the pills I've prepared for you..."
"And me... and me..."
Goodness, all sorts of pills were stuffed into Chu Xinghe's hands. Now, even if they were trapped in the spirit cave for half a year, they could survive just on these pills.
"Junior Brother Xinghe, take these spirit stones. When you're out, there are many places to spend money. These spirit stones may not be much, but they can solve urgent needs."
Feng Fei took out a large box full of top-grade spirit stones...
You call this not much?
Brother... do you really understand spirit stones?
Chu Xinghe, coming from a poor background, understood the value of money.
In the outside world, ordinary people used various gold, silver, and copper coins, and above those were spirit stones.
A single low-grade spirit stone could be exchanged for about a thousand gold, and it was rare for anyone to exchange spirit stones for gold.
And a hundred low-grade spirit stones could be exchanged for one mid-grade spirit stone, a hundred mid-grade spirit stones for one top-grade spirit stone...
Chu Xinghe vaguely remembered that in Hillside Village, about ten gold could allow a family of three to live comfortably for a year.
The spirit stones Feng Fei just gave him, let's put it this way, could buy Hillside Village fifty times over!
"Senior Brother Feng, how can you be so stingy... It's Junior Brother Xinghe's first time going out, it's inevitable he'll be short on cash. How can these spirit stones be enough? Come, come, Junior Brother Xinghe, I have more, take them, I don't need them!"
"Junior Brother Xinghe, I have some more... take them too..."
Soon, boxes were piled in front of Chu Xinghe, each filled with top-grade spirit stones emitting a dazzling glow. With so many spirit stones gathered, Chu Xinghe realized his math skills were really lacking...
He couldn't even calculate how many Hillside Villages these spirit stones could buy...
After sending off this wave of senior brothers, another wave came.
Some gave pills, some gave spirit stones, and a few even prepared various secret treasures for Chu Xinghe. Unfortunately, those treasures were of a level too high for Chu Xinghe to use.
After all the senior brothers left, Chu Xinghe looked at the items in the Space Ring given by the Great Elder in silence.
He had always heard about young men from mountain villages defying the odds, slapping the faces of various noble young masters.
But at this moment, Chu Xinghe just wanted to point at the face of a mountain village youth and ask... Why! Look at the things in my Space Ring... I don't even need to make a move, I could just take out these spirit stones and crush your entire village!
Tell me, how can you possibly rise against me!
Just the wealth given by the Spirit Crane Palace senior brothers had already exceeded Chu Xinghe's ability to calculate.
It seemed he was destined not to walk a path against the current, because not only did he not need to go against the current, but damn it, the whole river was his!
After a night of sweet dreams, the next morning, Chu Xinghe and the selected disciples from each palace gathered at the Grand Sky Palace.
The Sect Master actually came in person.
First, the Great Elder gave a pre-departure speech, basically saying not to act recklessly, not to tarnish the reputation of the Grand Sky Sect, and to pay attention to personal safety.
The Sect Master then walked among everyone, his gaze finally landing on Chu Xinghe: "Xinghe, as the team leader this time, remember to be cautious and prudent. On the spirit cave expedition, protect every junior brother and sister, and try to bring back as many resources as possible for our Grand Sky Sect."
"Rest assured, Sect Master! If we don't obtain at least seventy percent of the resources this time, I am willing to accept expulsion from the sect as punishment!"
The Sect Master was stunned...
Didn't you hear me say try to bring back as much as possible? I wasn't asking you to make a military pledge.
"Xinghe, I know you want to earn honor for the sect, but if it means being expelled from the sect, how will other disciples dare to lead teams in the future?" The Sect Master chuckled.
"The Sect Master is right, but as the team leader, I should act like one. If we don't obtain at least seventy percent of the resources, please strip me of my status as a personal disciple!"
The Sect Master sighed: "Good child, I know you want to earn honor for the sect, but there's no need to put so much pressure on yourself."
The other elders nodded in agreement.
Look, in the past, when disciples went out, if anything happened, they would blame each other, afraid that the punishment would fall on them.
But look at Chu Xinghe, what a good child, as the team leader, he takes all the responsibility on himself, doesn't shirk responsibility, where can you find such a team leader?
The Sect Master looked at Chu Xinghe's serious expression, then at the other elders nodding in agreement. Although he felt Chu Xinghe's pledge was a bit heavy, he still nodded.
As they say, with great power comes great responsibility, and with great responsibility comes great pressure. Gu Mingchao wanted to see if Chu Xinghe could still perform perfectly under such high pressure.
As for stripping him of his personal disciple status... it could be taken away and given back, couldn't it...
Chapter 22 - Grand flower festival
Outside the Grand Sky Palace, on the martial arts training ground, a massive teleportation array had already been set up.
The spirit cave this time was opening in the Fish Scale Mountains, too far from the Grand Sky Sect, so using the teleportation array to reach the nearest city, Yu City, was the fastest method.
However, the area around the teleportation array was already crowded with people. As far as the eye could see, there were disciples from various palaces, but the Spirit Crane Palace had the most.
Gu Mingchao glanced around and thought, goodness... it seemed like all the Spirit Crane Palace disciples had gathered, except for those with special tasks who couldn't leave.
Previously, when he heard that Chu Xinghe was being punished, and the entire Spirit Crane Palace pleaded for him, Gu Mingchao was moved. But seeing so many senior brothers coming to send Chu Xinghe off today, he was moved once again.
But... Chu Xinghe was just going to the spirit cave... Although there was danger, everyone knew the level of danger in the spirit cave... Was this necessary? It felt like Chu Xinghe was being sent to the execution ground.
"Safe travels, Senior Brother Xinghe!"
"May Senior Brother Xinghe achieve great success!"
"Senior Brother Xinghe will surely return with a full load..."
Since this wasn't in the Spirit Crane Palace, the many senior brothers addressed Chu Xinghe as "Senior Brother," after all, he was a personal disciple.
Chu Xinghe greeted his senior brothers along the way, and when he reached the teleportation array, he saw the Sect Master and the Great Elder waiting for them.
However, both of them tactfully didn't interrupt Chu Xinghe's farewell with his brothers. After all, Chu Xinghe seemed to be the first person in years to be so well-liked by so many brothers.
All one hundred people gathered in the center of the teleportation array.
The Sect Master didn't delay any further and directly activated the teleportation array.
A beam of spiritual light shot into the sky, and in an instant, Chu Xinghe felt a dizzying sensation... This was his first time using a teleportation array.
The dizziness almost made Chu Xinghe throw up.
And Chu Xinghe was still doing better; Wan Lin, standing not far behind him, had already thrown up on the spot.
As the surrounding light dissipated, Chu Xinghe found they were now at the edge of a city, which should be their destination, Yu City.
Looking back, goodness... at least a third of the hundred-person group had collapsed.
What kind of bullshit teleportation array was this? Was it really that powerful?
"Senior Brother Xinghe... ugh..." Wan Lin spoke while throwing up again. Chu Xinghe glanced over, hmm... breakfast was rice dumplings...
"Everyone, rest here for a while. We'll stay in Yu City tonight and set off early tomorrow morning," Chu Xinghe issued his first order as the leader.
"Senior Brother Xinghe, this... this might delay our schedule," Wan Lin quickly reminded.
Delay the schedule!
Hmph! That's exactly what I want.
From the Grand Sky Sect to Yu City, there were still two days until the spirit cave opened. If they set off normally, one day would be enough to reach it. The extra day was in case the sect encountered any unexpected situations.
Chu Xinghe had been worried about how to drag out these two days, but the teleportation array had given him an opportunity.
"Sister Wan Lin, it only takes a day to reach the Fish Scale Mountains from here. We'll use the remaining day to rest in Yu City. While treasure hunting is important, remember, each of you is the most valuable resource of our Grand Sky Sect. Your lives are far more important than any spirit cave!"
Wan Lin was moved to tears by Chu Xinghe's words.
The other junior brothers and sisters looked at Chu Xinghe with gratitude.
Previously, Chu Xinghe had made a military pledge in front of everyone. They thought he would demand everyone to rush there as soon as possible and then come up with various plans.
But unexpectedly, even in this situation, Senior Brother Xinghe still prioritized the well-being of his junior brothers and sisters.
Everyone donned casual clothes and entered Yu City.
Yu City, located at the edge of the Fish Scale Mountains, was the largest city in the area. Upon entering, the bustling streets filled with various goods and people coming and going showcased its prosperity.
Chu Xinghe remembered the Great Elder mentioning that while Yu City was big, it shouldn't be this prosperous, right?
Soon, Chu Xinghe understood why Yu City was like this.
It turned out that in recent days, a grand flower festival was being held jointly by a dozen nearby cities.
The so-called grand flower festival was essentially a courtesan queen competition. Goodness, courtesan queens from a dozen nearby cities gathered at Yu City's Wan Hua Tower, attracting countless admirers.
Not to mention the admirers, even Chu Xinghe, who considered himself a pure-hearted young man, was tempted to take a look.
The group made their way to the largest inn in Yu City, Fan Inn, which was also the largest inn in the city. Due to the grand flower festival, most inns in the city were fully booked.
However... when Chu Xinghe placed a medium-grade spirit stone in front of the innkeeper and told him he wanted to book the entire Fan Inn, within ten minutes, the entire inn was cleared of other guests.
Money can indeed make the world go round. A medium-grade spirit stone was equivalent to half a year's income for an inn like Fan Inn. As long as the innkeeper wasn't an idiot, he knew what choice to make.
With over a hundred rooms in Fan Inn, everyone could freely choose their own room. But before they did, Chu Xinghe earnestly made a request to all his junior brothers and sisters.
"We'll rest here for a day and set off early tomorrow without delaying our schedule. But I must remind you, do not, under any circumstances, go to the grand flower festival or see the courtesan queens. Even if those courtesan queens are truly enticing, even if missing it might be a lifelong regret, you must control yourselves!"
Chu Xinghe's words were met with nods from the junior sisters.
But the junior brothers...
Initially, they hadn't thought much about the grand flower festival, but after hearing Senior Brother Xinghe's words, they couldn't help but feel intrigued!
"Senior Brother Xinghe, is this really necessary? As long as we don't delay the schedule or break sect rules, can't we?"
A disciple named Ma Liang spoke up, clearly unhappy.
Great... a troublemaker!
I've been waiting for you for a while now; your efficiency needs improvement!
Glancing at the troublemaker Ma Liang, Chu Xinghe didn't say much and replied calmly, "I've said my piece. You know what to do."
With that, Chu Xinghe went to choose a room.
After selecting a room, Chu Xinghe sat inside, feeling restless!
Ma Liang, oh Ma Liang... you better step up! Don't just talk without action!
Go on, those courtesan queens are truly enticing. Take the other junior brothers to see them... and hopefully, have some indescribable encounters tonight. If you all turn into limp noodles by tomorrow, that would be perfect!
Chu Xinghe stayed in his room, praying earnestly. Junior brothers! Please, make it happen!
A barely audible creak came from the next room, and Chu Xinghe almost jumped in excitement. Finally, a junior brother couldn't resist, right? I knew it, a bunch of young men at their prime, who could resist the grand flower festival?
Peeking out the window, Chu Xinghe crouched, trying to see who the first brave soul was.
Ma Liang? Or was there another hidden troublemaker in the group he hadn't noticed?
Focusing his gaze... Chu Xinghe saw a person wrapped tightly sneaking out of Fan Inn and disappearing into the night.
But as he watched the disappearing figure, Chu Xinghe was stunned.
"Wan... Wan Lin?"
Though Wan Lin was wrapped like a dumpling, Chu Xinghe recognized her unique figure at a glance.
Damn... the first one to succumb to temptation wasn't Ma Liang or any other junior brother, but Wan Lin?
Little girl, is this your thing?
No, no! Maybe Sister Wan Lin just wanted to find something to eat?
Maybe Sister Wan Lin just wanted to see the excitement...
As Chu Xinghe kept thinking of "what ifs," another door opened.
Ma Liang, looking around sneakily, especially lingering his gaze on Chu Xinghe's room for a few seconds, confirmed there was no issue and quickly slipped out of the inn.
After Ma Liang, several other junior brothers, unable to resist the temptation, also sneaked out.
Unfortunately, there were only about thirty of them!
This number was a bit disappointing to Chu Xinghe. Didn't the remaining junior brothers like courtesan queens? And those junior sisters... learn from Sister Wan Lin, I'm actually quite open-minded... it's not like I can't accept you having some special preferences.
Though it didn't reach the expected outcome, Chu Xinghe consoled himself that it was still quite a few. With so many junior brothers out, if they had a night battle and were all listless the next day, it would be reasonable to rest more on the way to take care of them.
Then, because the junior brothers were too weak, resting longer, and ultimately missing the spirit cave opening time would also be reasonable.
After that, the three sects would be furious, confront the Grand Sky Sect, and he would first be stripped of his personal disciple status, then pushed out to take the blame. Even if he wasn't expelled from the sect, being relegated to the outer sect wasn't impossible!
Chu Xinghe was immersed in his vision of a happy future. Though the courtesan queens were tempting, he decided to stay steady and not take risks!
What's so great about courtesan queens! They can only slow down my sword drawing speed!
When I become a Martial Emperor, forget courtesan queens, even finding a Li Queen wouldn't be a problem!
As the night deepened, Chu Xinghe pondered, understanding why other junior brothers sought courtesan queens, but Sister Wan Lin seeking them... how would that entertainment unfold?
Two beauties... oh dear, the image is too dirty to imagine.
But as Chu Xinghe was clearing the dirty images from his mind, a commotion suddenly erupted outside!
With the commotion, Chu Xinghe's door was knocked on.
Outside, Ma Liang, supported by two junior brothers, walked in.
Chu Xinghe frowned, seeing a deep, bone-revealing wound on Ma Liang's arm.
Without asking much, Chu Xinghe quickly took out a pill, crushed it, and treated Ma Liang's wound. The pills from the Grand Sky Sect were extraordinary, and the wound soon stopped bleeding and began to heal.
But Chu Xinghe's gaze fell on Ma Liang and the others' faces.
Soon, Chu Xinghe learned what had happened. After sneaking out, Ma Liang went to the grand flower festival. He had his eyes on a courtesan queen and wanted to win her over, but unexpectedly encountered a rival.
After a fierce competition, Ma Liang emerged as the winner, but unexpectedly, the other party, in a fit of rage, ambushed Ma Liang. Caught off guard, Ma Liang nearly had his arm severed by a sword!
Subsequently, other junior brothers arrived, and the opponent took advantage of the chaos to escape. With no other choice, they brought Ma Liang to Senior Brother Xinghe for treatment.
"Did you all treat my words as mere wind in your ears?" Chu Xinghe put away the pill and spoke calmly.
"One person does the deed, one person takes the responsibility. Today's incident is my disgrace to the sect. Punish me as you see fit when we return!" Ma Liang, showing some backbone, was prepared for Chu Xinghe to embellish the story when reporting back.
But as Ma Liang pondered what punishment he might face, he heard Chu Xinghe's voice!
"Zhang Biao... Zhao Tong... Liu Hai... Sun Xiangqian..." One by one, names were called out by Chu Xinghe, and as each name fell, the respective junior brothers gathered.
"All of you, come with me to the grand flower festival. I want to see which bastard dared to harm my junior brother. Fucking hell, are they tired of living!"
Ma Liang was dumbfounded...
Chapter 23 - Grumpy Senior Brother Chu
Ma Liang had never really liked Chu Xinghe.
They had all entered the sect on the same day, so why was Chu Xinghe always praised and held in such high regard?
To Ma Liang, all of Chu Xinghe's achievements were just a matter of luck.
As for the rumors about Chu Xinghe's good character? Ma Liang scoffed at them. There were plenty of people who acted one way in public and another in private. Chu Xinghe was surely a crafty guy, just very good at hiding it.
So even though they were part of the same group, Ma Liang was never convinced.
Chu Xinghe said not to attend the grand flower festival, but why should he listen? He was going to go anyway!
But Ma Liang hadn't expected to run into such trouble.
Though he regretted it, there was nothing he could do. He was sure that Chu Xinghe would seize this opportunity to punish him for disobeying orders, and would probably exaggerate the story when they returned to the sect, ensuring that Ma Liang would be punished.
However, Ma Liang was mentally prepared. At worst, he would give up his status as an elite disciple. With his skills, he could earn it back eventually.
But just as Ma Liang was bracing for Chu Xinghe's reprimand, Chu Xinghe called over a dozen fellow disciples!
"Come with me to the Fan Inn. I want to see which bastard dared to touch my junior brother! Fucking tired of living, are they?"
Chu Xinghe's words left Ma Liang dumbfounded.
Even the disciple who had helped Ma Liang back was stunned.
They had entered the sect with Ma Liang and were from the same division, so they were quite close.
Today, Ma Liang had broken the rules and been ambushed and injured. Punishment was inevitable, and they were thinking of how to plead for him.
But to their surprise, Senior Brother Xinghe didn't blame Ma Liang at all and instead gathered people to head to the Fan Inn.
This move left them both speechless.
"What are you standing around for? Let's go!" Chu Xinghe waved his hand, and everyone followed.
A large group of them marched to the Fan Inn, where the grand flower festival was taking place.
The area in front of the Fan Inn was still packed with people, indicating that the earlier incident hadn't affected the event much.
Ma Liang was still in a daze as they reached the Fan Inn. What was Chu Xinghe planning?
While Ma Liang was lost in thought, Chu Xinghe led everyone into the Fan Inn.
Faced with a group of fierce-looking young men, the people at the Fan Inn quickly realized they weren't there to choose a Courtesan Queen. Some even recognized Ma Liang as the one who had been ambushed earlier.
"Please, everyone, wait..." A man who looked like the head guard stepped forward to stop them, but before he could finish, Chu Xinghe kicked him square in the chest, sending him flying!
"Boom..." The tables in the Fan Inn were smashed by the flying body, throwing the place into chaos. The beautiful courtesans were all terrified.
Not only were the people at the Fan Inn stunned, but even the disciples who had come with Chu Xinghe were shocked...
Was Senior Brother Xinghe always this aggressive?
He didn't even let them finish speaking before taking action?
Countless guards rushed in from all directions, and Chu Xinghe waved his hand: "Make them all lie down for me!"
"Yes, sir!" Seeing that Senior Brother Xinghe had already made a move, the disciples hesitated no longer.
They didn't even need any spirit weapons. As elite disciples of the Grand Sky Sect, even if their cultivation wasn't high, these small guards were no match for them.
Ten breaths later, not a single guard was left standing.
The people at the Fan Inn were dumbfounded. They had seen unreasonable people before, but never anyone as unreasonable as this. Couldn't they at least explain the situation before resorting to violence?
What kind of madness was it to start hitting people without a word?
"Everyone not involved, get out, or you'll end up like them! If the manager of the Fan Inn doesn't show up in ten breaths, I'll tear this place down today!"
Chu Xinghe finally spoke, and as his words fell, the disciples were ready to act.
The onlookers began to retreat.
"Ten... nine... eight..." Chu Xinghe started counting down.
When the countdown reached three, a middle-aged man in his forties came rushing down the stairs.
"Please wait, sir... I am the manager of the Fan Inn."
Looking at the manager who had run up to him, Chu Xinghe pointed at Ma Liang not far away: "Do you know him?"
"N-no, I don't..." The manager glanced over and began to speak, but before he could finish, a slap sent him spinning three and a half times in the air before he crashed to the ground, blood and a few teeth flying from his mouth.
Everyone was stunned, including Ma Liang...
At this moment, Chu Xinghe had completely overturned Ma Liang's understanding.
Originally, Ma Liang thought Chu Xinghe was just putting on a show by bringing people to avenge him, but now... Ma Liang knew he was wrong... very wrong. Senior Brother Xinghe wasn't pretending; he genuinely cared about him!
The manager, now bleeding from the mouth, clutched his cheek, tears streaming down.
"I-I know him... This young hero had a conflict with someone here earlier."
"Who was it?" Chu Xinghe's voice was icy.
"I-I don't..." As soon as he uttered the word "don't," another slap landed... With a crisp sound, the manager's other set of teeth was gone.
"This is your last chance!" Chu Xinghe said, picking up a candlestick from the table and throwing it at the wooden stairs of the Fan Inn. The candle flame ignited the stairs, and the fire quickly spread!
"Your time is running out. Answer slowly, and the Fan Inn will be gone." Chu Xinghe looked relaxed, and the disciples were left speechless by the scene.
"Sir... I... I... It's the third young master of the Huang family, Huang Shaohua!"
Finally, faced with the flames, the manager broke down. He had seen many ruthless people, but never anyone like Chu Xinghe.
Without a single unnecessary word, he had set the Fan Inn on fire. If the manager had hesitated any longer, the fire would have been beyond saving.
Having gotten the answer he wanted, Chu Xinghe left without another word, leading everyone away.
At the Fan Inn, the manager, having answered quickly enough, managed to prevent the fire from spreading, but the damage was significant.
"Quick... send a message to the Huang family!" The manager, ignoring his swollen mouth, hurriedly ordered his subordinates.
The manager didn't know who Chu Xinghe was, but he knew that the Huang family had definitely kicked an iron plate this time. He had seen many ruthless people, but never anyone as unreasonable as Chu Xinghe.
Meanwhile, Chu Xinghe had returned to the Fan Inn with Ma Liang and the others.
Those who had snuck out, including Wan Lin, had all returned upon hearing the news. Seeing Chu Xinghe return with people from outside, everyone gathered around.
"It's the third young master of the Huang family, Huang Shaohua! Everyone, pack up. I want to see just how bold the Huang family is, daring to touch my junior brother!"
"Yes!" Everyone acknowledged the order and went to pack.
At the Huang family, Huang Yongtang had just finished a pleasant session with his thirteenth concubine, but before he could savor those ten seconds, he was interrupted by a series of urgent knocks on the door.
"Who is it? Looking to die?" Though angry, Huang Yongtang opened the door to find the Huang family's head steward, Huang Liang, looking anxious.
"The third young master has caused trouble..." Huang Liang reported the day's events in detail, including how Chu Xinghe and the others nearly set the Fan Inn on fire.
"A group of impressive young people? They're not from the Star Moon Sect, are they?" Huang Yongtang hesitated, but upon hearing from the steward that they likely weren't from the Star Moon Sect, he breathed a sigh of relief!
Hmph! In this little patch of Yu City, apart from the Star Moon Sect, there was no one the Huang family feared.
Though they were a branch family, they were still part of the Pingyuan Huang family.
The Pingyuan Huang family was one of the three great families in the world. With the backing of the main family, who in Yu City wouldn't give the Huang family some respect?
"I understand. Find out who these young people are."
After Huang Yongtang gave his instructions, Huang Liang nodded and went to carry them out.
Meanwhile, the entire group had packed up, and everyone followed Chu Xinghe in silence. The news of Senior Brother Xinghe nearly setting the Fan Inn on fire had spread among everyone.
Those who hadn't been able to join them were filled with regret.
Was this really the Senior Brother Xinghe they knew?
He was so domineering, acting without a word, and if you dared to say no, he'd burn the Fan Inn down.
As the first rays of dawn illuminated the Huang family's grand courtyard, Chu Xinghe led the group to the Huang family's entrance.
The guards at the gate, seeing the menacing group, quickly reported the news.
The message soon reached the steward, Huang Liang. Last night, the master had asked him to investigate their identities, but before he could, they had come knocking?
Well, that made things easier. Huang Liang hurried to find Huang Yongtang, and upon hearing that they had come to the door, Huang Yongtang was so angry he overturned the breakfast table!
"A bunch of little bastards, utterly reckless. Do they even know who they're dealing with? In Yu City, apart from the Star Moon Sect, who do we fear?" Huang Yongtang roared, and countless members of the Huang family gathered from all directions.
Huang Yongtang vowed that unless they were disciples of the Star Moon Sect, he would ensure they never left!
But as Huang Yongtang was gathering his forces, a loud crash came from the Huang family's gate.
The Huang family's five-meter-tall gate was blasted open, taking half of the Huang family's courtyard wall with it. As the dust settled, the ground outside the Huang family was littered with their disciples.
"They can't really be from the Star Moon Sect, can they..." Huang Yongtang was momentarily stunned. To be so brazen as to come knocking, this clearly wasn't something ordinary people could do.
But just as Huang Yongtang spoke, someone from the Huang family replied: "Uncle, they can't be disciples of the Star Moon Sect. The Star Moon Sect is currently holding a grand ceremony, and unless there's a special reason, disciples wouldn't leave the sect."
Hearing this, Huang Yongtang was delighted. If they weren't from the Star Moon Sect, then it was manageable!
It seemed they were just a bunch of clueless hotheads. Did they think the Huang family was a place they could just destroy? Today, they would all have to stay.
"All Huang family disciples, follow my command. Today, we'll make sure these ignorant brats never leave!"
"Yes!"
The Huang family disciples shouted in unison, and amidst their cries, the group led by Chu Xinghe stepped over the collapsed wall and entered the Huang family. Once everyone was inside, Chu Xinghe tore off his outer clothing, revealing the personal disciple robe of the Grand Sky Sect.
The others behind Chu Xinghe did the same, tearing off their disguises to reveal the uniform black elite disciple robes of the Grand Sky Sect.
"Definitely not from the Star Moon Sect... The Star Moon Sect doesn't have black disciple robes..." Huang Liang was overjoyed to see the uniform black robes, but his joy lasted only a second before a slap brought him back to reality.
The one who slapped him was none other than Huang Yongtang...
Huang Yongtang had also seen it. They weren't disciples of the Star Moon Sect...
But the words "Grand Sky" on those robes were unique to only one place in the world!
They were disciples of the world's number one sect, the Grand Sky Sect!
Tình trạng nguồn điện hàng tuần
-- Xếp hạng
Quyền lực 
-- Đá
Quyền lực