Chapter 35

Chapter 35: Langya Secret Realm

Ye Zhao Zhao looked ready to cry as she said: “Master, the people from the Artifact Pavilion are being unreasonable. I only offered good ideas. Their sales went up a lot too. Now that there’s trouble, they want me to take the blame.”

She felt more wronged by the second. In her former world, people pulled stunts like this all the time and nothing happened to them.

Sheng Yuan spoke gently as he said: “Junior Sister, your ideas were clever. But you went too far. Take the blind box event for example. Why did you hide the grand prize? Even if someone else won it, you would still have made money in the end, but you insisted on hiding it. That is…” He did not want to use harsh words and fell silent. His junior sister had already been punished. He could not bear to scold her more.

He sighed in his heart. From Steward Qiu’s descriptions, Zhao Zhao had real talent for business. She was just too young and had no one to guide her, so she lost her way. Those creative events, if run properly, would have drawn eyes and earned a good profit. But she always added a layer of trickery and ruined the reputation she could have built.

Ye Zhao Zhao pressed her lips together, still unconvinced, and showed a slightly wronged look as she said: “First Senior Brother, you blame me too, right? I only wanted to make more spirit stones so I could help everyone more. Or are you blaming me for framing First Senior Sister? I really only got mad for a moment and wanted to teach her a small lesson.”

As she spoke, her eyes turned red. She forced back her tears until they pooled at the rim, making her look very pitiful.

“Don’t scold Junior Sister,” Chang Le An said anxiously: “She’s still so young. How could she know all this?”

He had been taken in as Immortal Ling Xu’s direct disciple not long before Ye Zhao Zhao arrived. They joined around the same time, so they spent a lot of time together. Among all the people in the sect, his relationship with her was the best. He even held a faint affection for her. Seeing her like this, his heart ached too much to say any blame at all.

At this point, Immortal Ling Xu spoke slowly as he said: “Whatever else, those spirit stones must be returned. Within seven days, Zhao Zhao, take them to the Disciplinary Hall.”

Ye Zhao Zhao almost burst into tears as she said: “Master, I really don’t have that many spirit stones left.”

She had at most a small half remaining. Immortal Ling Xu sighed as he said: “The Sect Master has given orders. I can’t say much more.” She looked at him hopefully: “Master, you…” But he only said: “I will go check on your Second Senior Brother,” and turned to leave.

Ye Zhao Zhao ground her teeth. She had given Immortal Ling Xu so many fine things, yet now that she had to return the spirit stones, he did not want to help at all. [How did Li Shuang endure such a Master before?] Thinking that Li Shuang no longer had to endure him made her grit her teeth again. [After all my grabbing, what have I even grabbed?]

She steadied herself and looked to Sheng Yuan and Chang Le An. Thankfully, they did not let her down. Chang Le An said without hesitation: “Junior Sister, you can have everything I have.” Sheng Yuan added: “I will think of a way for you too.”

That eased her a little, but how much could the two of them have? Thinking of the spirit stones still missing, her small face tightened into a frown.

While she was already upset, the System’s voice suddenly sounded: “The host’s cultivation will fall back to Early Nascent Soul. Please work hard to earn cultivation.”

Ye Zhao Zhao’s face changed. She had been so worried about the spirit stones that she had not noticed her cultivation had slipped again. She and Li Shuang rose and fell in balance. If her cultivation fell, then Li Shuang…

“The transfer loses a lot in the process, but Li Shuang’s cultivation has recovered to the eighth layer of Qi Refining,” said the System.

“The eighth layer of Qi Refining…” Ye Zhao Zhao clenched her fists. It was still not much. But Li Shuang had just restarted. The strength Li Shuang now had was what Ye Zhao Zhao had schemed so hard to gain. It was her blood and sweat. Thinking of that made Ye Zhao Zhao’s heart bleed.

And if the Treasure Pavilion matter had gone as planned, if Li Shuang had obediently fallen for the trap, there would have been no later trouble at all. [Li Shuang. Li Shuang. Was she born to counter me?]

“Reminder,” the System said in an icy voice: “If the host falls below the Nascent Soul Stage, the System will issue a punishment.”

Ye Zhao Zhao shivered. She had coasted along ever since joining Ling Xu Peak and had never been punished by the System. But her gut told her the punishment would be better not tasted. “I understand,” she said through gritted teeth. The System fell silent again.

She clenched her jaw. [I cannot let my cultivation slip any further.] Li Shuang was already at the eighth layer of Qi Refining. When she reached the Tenth Layer of Qi Refining, she would aim for Foundation Establishment. [I will not let Li Shuang climb any higher. This time I will end her before Foundation Establishment. If I kill her, I can take all her fortune, and I will never have to live in fear again.] But this time, she would have to plan more carefully and leave no trace.

Full of nasty ideas but still injured, she needed several days and pills before she could get out of bed. The moment she stood, Disciplinary Hall disciples came to collect the spirit stones. She emptied her own purse, then emptied Sheng Yuan’s and Chang Le An’s, and still did not have even half. In desperation, Sheng Yuan steeled himself and, using his status as First Senior Brother, diverted some resources meant for Ling Xu Peak’s ordinary disciples, trading all of it for spirit stones for Ye Zhao Zhao. It still was not enough.

With no other choice, Ye Zhao Zhao wrote down several modern business ideas she had planned to save for herself once she had enough funds. Now she had to use them early. The Artifact Pavilion was happy to accept those ideas as payment, and the account finally balanced. But Ling Xu Peak was drained dry.

As First Senior Brother, Sheng Yuan could clearly feel the peak’s growing resentment toward him. He gave a bitter smile. There was nothing he could do. He had, after all, diverted resources from others for Ye Zhao Zhao. Of course the ordinary disciples would resent him. Still, he could not just watch Zhao Zhao’s name be ruined.

But the disciples needed food, clothing, and supplies arranged. Their daily training had to be arranged. Without the First Senior Sister, he had barely managed to keep things together. Now that he had spent everything for Ye Zhao Zhao, Ling Xu Peak fell into chaos.

Sheng Yuan felt dazed. [First Senior Sister… did she really handle all this while training too?] Other peaks at least had their Peak Masters helping somewhat. But on Ling Xu Peak, Immortal Ling Xu acted like a hands off elder. The pressure all fell on Sheng Yuan. When Li Shuang had been here, she had carried everything alone and never let them worry. Now it was his turn, and he felt like he was sinking into a swamp with no way out.

After calming the ordinary disciples as best he could, Sheng Yuan was thinking about how to make up the lost resources when Ye Zhao Zhao and Chang Le An entered. Chang Le An said loudly: “First Senior Brother, Zhao Zhao and I have a way to fill the gap.”

Sheng Yuan blinked as he said: “What way?”

A bright light flashed in Ye Zhao Zhao’s eyes as she said: “First Senior Brother, did you forget? The Langya Secret Realm will open soon. It is full of spirit herbs and treasures. Third Senior Brother has amazing luck and picks up good things without trying. With that, won’t we be able to make up the shortfall?”