Chapter 145 - 136: Even if All the Disciples Starve to Death, Not a Single Spirit Stone from the Divination Sect Will Be Taken (2400 words)_1
「Thunderclap Peak」
In the Council Hall, Ji Yan and the sect’s leadership were gathered, all wearing expressions of distress.
Ji Kunpeng said, "Father, Elder Wang from Dragon Head Peak just contacted me. He said... we’ll have to front the monthly stipends for our peak’s disciples and Elders again!"
Ji Yan raised an eyebrow. "Again? Didn’t the Zhenwu Immortal Sect send a thank-you gift not long ago? Is it all gone already?"
Ji Kunpeng rubbed his head and gave a bitter smile. "Apparently, that money went to repair the formations on the various peaks. I heard the protective formation on Sky Light Peak has had a gap for over half a year and still hasn’t been fixed!"
Ji Yan massaged his temples, a look of helplessness on his face. "Alright, alright, I get it!"
Experts at the Saint Manifestation stage didn’t lack for petty cash. He could afford to front the money a few times. But by that same token, now that he had broken through to the Saint Manifestation stage, the resources he needed for his cultivation were more than ten times what they used to be. In other words, even he had to figure out a way to acquire more resources to support his future cultivation. He was poor too! And that wasn’t even counting the responsibility of providing for the daily needs of the thousand-plus disciples of the Thunder Sect. The financial situation was far from optimistic! He wanted to change this state of affairs but was at a loss for what to do.
Suddenly, a figure ran in from the entrance to report, "First Seat, the announcement from Dragon Head Peak is out! It’s confirmed that of all the Spirit Stones produced in the new bountiful domain, the Divination Sect will receive a full fifty percent!"
As the news broke, the hall erupted in an uproar.
Luo Binglan had said something similar before, but it hadn’t been an official announcement. They had still clung to a sliver of hope, thinking it was likely just her spouting nonsense. After all, no matter how much the Sect Leader indulged that madwoman, there had to be some rules, right?
But to their surprise, Zhuo Canglang had actually agreed to let the Divination Sect take fifty percent of the Spirit Stone output! It was utter madness!
For a moment, the hall was filled with the sound of complaints. Their eyes turned red with envy. The frustration of comparing themselves to others was palpable! Their Thunder Sect was a major branch of the Sanqing Immortal Sect, with thousands of disciples. But when it came down to it, the resources they were allotted amounted to less than ten percent of the output from a single bountiful domain.
And the Divination Sect? Even counting that bedridden Luo Binglan, there were only three of them in total. Yet they received fifty percent!
Wouldn’t they be rolling in wealth?
For a moment, feelings of envy, jealousy, and hatred enveloped everyone’s hearts.
On what grounds?! Why was it that they had to struggle so hard while the Divination Sect could achieve financial freedom?
Ji Kunpeng suddenly sighed. "If only our Thunder Sect could get a bountiful domain for ourselves!"
At these words, Ji Yan’s eyes bulged, and he began to curse loudly. "You have the nerve to say that? Wang Xiu is just a young Core Formation Stage disciple from the Divination Sect, yet he had the skill to snatch a bountiful domain right from the hands of the Demonic Path! And what about you? A bunch of big, strong louts, and every one of you is useless! You couldn’t even manage something as simple as poaching Wang Xiu for our Thunder Sect. What use are you to me?"
He was so deeply pained that a thought surfaced.
If he had recruited Wang Xiu to Thunderclap Peak before Luo Binglan did, wouldn’t this bountiful domain be theirs now? Oh, Heavens! How could you let such an outstanding disciple slip through my fingers?
Hearing this, Ji Yan’s sons were dumbfounded. They stared at one another in shock. They hadn’t thought about it before, but now that Ji Yan had pointed it out, the realization hit them.
Damn! That’s right! Wang Xiu... he’s just a Core Formation disciple! How on earth did he manage to secure an entire bountiful domain? How did he do it? That’s a goddamn bountiful domain!
In the crowd, Ji Jinglei watched the scene unfold silently. An idea sparked in his mind, and he asked, "Father, the Divination Sect can’t possibly use that many Spirit Stones. Could we perhaps borrow some from them? We don’t need to borrow much, just enough to tide the disciples over for now!"
Borrow Spirit Stones?
Everyone was momentarily stunned, a flicker of eagerness in their eyes. If they could really borrow a sum of money, their lives would become much easier. After all, with Spirit Stones, the disciples’ cultivation speed would increase. With improved strength, they could take on higher-level missions and earn more money! The Thunder Sect’s economy would take off! It would be much better than the current situation, where the disciples were in a constant state of "malnutrition," their strength improving at a snail’s pace, and the missions they took on being mediocre at best. It was a vicious cycle.
Ji Yan also hesitated, a look of uncertainty on his face. Just as all the other branches had a terrible impression of the Divination Sect, he knew that Luo Binglan held no goodwill toward any of them. Back on Spirit Turtle Peak, they had barely uttered a few words of discussion before Luo Binglan had thrown them all out. Asking to borrow money was on a whole other level.
How could she possibly agree to a loan? What if they not only failed to borrow the money but also had to endure Luo Binglan’s sarcasm and humiliation? It would be pure torture!
Thinking of this, he shook his head and refused decisively. "My Thunder Sect is, after all, a major branch of Sanqing. Borrowing money from the Divination Sect, the shame of Sanqing? If word of this got out, how could we hold our heads high?
"We who cultivate the Thunder Technique must always remember: cultivate the heart before the technique! Never allow your heart to bow to those you despise! You must not let worldly wealth shake your true heart! That would be an insult to the great path you cultivate! If you do, you will never glimpse the true essence of the Thunder Technique in your entire life! Do you understand?"
He spoke with righteous conviction, his tone sincere and carrying a faint, dignified air. The crowd felt as if they were standing before a god, one who was neither servile nor arrogant.
What a worthy First Seat of the Thunder Sect! What a righteous and noble Saint of the Thunder Path!
A sense of shame washed over them.
Just a moment ago, they had actually considered bowing their heads and borrowing money from the Divination Sect. If they had, they would have become the very people they despised!
They cupped their fists in salute and shouted in unison.
"We shall remember Father’s teachings!"
"We shall remember the First Seat’s teachings!"
Ji Yan’s gaze swept over the crowd, and he nodded in satisfaction.
Just then, a disciple ran in excitedly. "First Seat, something big has happened!"
Ji Yan’s brow furrowed slightly. "What’s all the fuss about?"
The disciple held a piece of paper high in his hand, shouting with excitement, "The Divination Sect has agreed to offer loans to the other branches of the Immortal Sect! Disciples and Elders alike can borrow using their personal identity tokens! The process is simple, the procedures are fast, and the loan can be disbursed in as little as one day! We can go borrow money!"
As these words came out, the hall fell silent.
Ji Kunpeng stood up, glaring. "Silence! As a disciple of the Thunder Sect, how can you utter such shameless words? You are insulting the path we cultivate, insulting our true hearts! Bowing to the worldly! Submitting to the despicable! We would rather die than... OUCH!"
Before he could finish, Ji Yan planted a foot on his back, stamping him to the ground. He stared at the disciple with an expectant look on his face. "Let me see that!"
The disciple quickly handed over the flyer.
Ji Yan scanned the information in a single glance, his eyes shining brightly. "Good, good, good! Excellent! Lads, assemble! To Spirit Turtle Peak!"
With that, he took the lead and strode out the main doors.
Beneath his feet, Ji Kunpeng lifted his head, an expression on his face as if questioning his very existence.
Didn’t you say we had to adhere to our true hearts? Weren’t we supposed to not bow to those we despise? What happened to cultivating the heart before the technique?
"I refuse to accept... OUCH! OUCH, OUCH, OUCH!"
Before he could finish his protest, a stream of figures trampled over his body as they rushed out, scrambling to be the first.
「Sword Sect」
Dugu Qingqian sat upon her throne in the cold, vast hall. With a flick of her finger, the Immortal Sect announcement before her turned to ash. Recalling its contents, she could almost picture the smug look on Luo Binglan’s face. Her fists clenched involuntarily.
How could that madwoman be so damn lucky? After lying in a coffin for so many years, she wakes up to inherit the entire Ghost Immortal Blessed Land? Damn it all!
In the hall, Li Zuoyue shivered, feeling the chilling Sword Intent radiating from his master. He spoke cautiously, "Master, I saw on the announcement that the Divination Sect is responsible for mining the Spirit Vein in the Ghost Immortal Blessed Land themselves! The Divination Sect currently only has Junior Brother Wang Xiu and his junior sister... They probably can’t manage it alone. How about... I take our junior brothers to lend a hand? That way, they could also earn some Spirit Stones, and you would have to front less money this month."
Hearing this, Dugu Qingqian’s icy gaze swept down on him, sharp as a blade. "You want the disciples of my Sword Sect to go be miners for Luo Binglan? Dream on! Even if every last disciple of the Sword Sect starves to death, we will not take a single Spirit Stone from her Spirit Turtle Peak!"