’Now that I’m here, who knows how much time it would waste to send word back to my family and gather another group.’
"You there, Luo!" the young man snapped, flicking his sleeve. "Nine hundred and sixty points. Exchange them for an Inheritance Spiritual Light, and we’ll consider this matter closed."
"Pfft."
Chen Xiangzhu couldn’t stifle a laugh. She quickly waved her hand. "I’ll cover the missing forty points."
’She really hadn’t expected the illustrious Yu Family of the Mountain God to send such a motley crew this time.’
’One, a stunted child who would never grow up. The other, an immature fool who was used to throwing tantrums and begging.’
The Cultivators from the various prefectures of Yongzhou were inherently inexperienced. They were no match for the wily veterans of the Border Region. Even with comparable Cultivation, the difference in a real battle was vast.
They should have been mentally prepared for such losses before they even came.
"Hmph! Then trade them for ten bottles of Crimson Heart Pills."
Yu Qing ground his teeth. Though it was a blow to his pride, he didn’t refuse the forty merit points.
For an Immortal Descendant, the same pool of merits served two purposes. The total was tallied to determine if they would be granted an Inheritance Spiritual Light, but those merits weren’t actually consumed. They could still be used to exchange for resources essential to their disciples’ Cultivation.
It was essentially a form of double-dipping, where the Master’s rewards and the disciples’ provisions were handled separately.
Upon hearing this, the faces of the Qi Cultivation Disciples soured. The merits they had painstakingly earned were being commandeered by their Master.
’They knew they’d never see any of those Crimson Heart Pills. The pills would be used to help their Foundation Establishment Senior Brothers attempt a breakthrough.’
But seeing their Master’s fury, none of them dared to risk his wrath. They could only grit their teeth and bear it.
Yu Qing sat back down, his anger still simmering. His eyes suddenly fell upon a small figure at a distant table. A little head poked out from behind it, two timid eyes peering his way.
He scoffed, "Heh, what are you looking at? Are you hoping I’ll grant you an Inheritance Spiritual Light?"
Yu Sheng instinctively ducked back under the table, but then she remembered Lin Shu’s advice.
After a moment’s hesitation, her little head popped back up. "You had to beg someone else for your own Inheritance Spiritual Light," she said in a low voice.
The words had barely left her mouth when Yu Qing’s face visibly darkened. His chest rose and fell rapidly. After a long moment, a savage grin spread across his face. "Those forty points? It would take you a whole month to earn that much... oh, wait. Perhaps that disciple of yours is already dead. You could sit here and rot for years and it would still be nothing but a dream!"
"That’s not true! He’s already back!"
Leaning on the table, Yu Sheng shot to her feet. "You’re the one who’s dead! Your whole family is dead!"
CLACK!
A small stone, flying from out of nowhere, tapped her lightly on the forehead.
"Ouch."
Yu Sheng rubbed her forehead.
Lin Shu strolled casually into the inn, a flicker of resignation in his eyes.
’What an awful thing to hear the moment I get back.’
’Did this little chick forget she and Yu Qing are technically from the same family?’
The sudden appearance of this newcomer clearly drew everyone’s attention away from Yu Sheng’s outburst.
Chen Xiangzhu glanced over, the smile fading from her face.
Yu Qing, however, only grew more furious.
’I lost eight disciples, yet this brat gets to go off alone and come back unscathed. What luck.’
Among everyone present, however, it was the hunchbacked Steward Luo whose demeanor shifted internally. Though his expression remained unchanged, his previously unsettled thoughts now coalesced into a cold glint in his eyes.
’He had been wondering for days why the Crimson Heart Flower had yet to arrive.’
’He’d assumed that group had gone back on their word and decided to cut him out of his share.’
’Now, seeing Lin Shu, he finally had his answer.’
"This is pointless. We’re leaving."
Yu Qing stood up, preparing to leave without even sparing the young man a glance.
’Luck can save you once, maybe twice, but not forever.’
’Sooner or later, he’ll run out of luck and get himself killed.’
His expression unchanging, Lin Shu walked past the group of disciples and stopped before the Steward. He took out a Golden Disc and placed it on the table. "Steward, if you would please tally this for me."
The sound of the Golden Disc settling on the table was faint.
Yet it made everyone who had been preparing to leave stop dead in their tracks.
In the next moment, they all turned to look back, astonishment flashing in their eyes.
Yu Qing’s recent losses had already proven the vast disparity between Cultivators from Yongzhou and those from the Border Region.
This new batch of disciples, lacking sufficient seasoning, were easy pickings for others.
And yet, Lin Shu had just produced a Life Plate?
Steward Luo’s face twitched as he carefully scrutinized the young man’s expression.
No matter how closely he looked, he couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary.
"A successful outing?"
The hunchbacked old man controlled his breathing, trying to appear as normal as possible.
He reached out and swept his palm over the Golden Disc.
Soon, wisps of Life Blood began to seep from it.
One wisp... two wisps...
Four streams of dark-red vapor hovered in the air.
As pin-drop silence fell over the inn, the faint scent of blood filled the air.
Even though Steward Luo had mentally prepared himself, when he truly saw this sight...
...veins still bulged abruptly on the back of his withered hand!

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