Just one head sufficed and that was all it took to halt every motion in the vicinity. All eyes converged on the winner atop one hill made of riches and more.
"How could you be so heartless, Cao Min?!"
"We deserve our share of our spirit stones too!"
"Don't be greedy Brother Cao Min!" The bravest of the Outer Disciples complained after one life has already paid in today's grand event.
"If you have the courage to die this soon, then be my guest and take your loot." Cao Min smiled fiercely on the masses and everything stopped at this moment.
No one dared to make another move and be the first sacrifice to the sharp merciless blade of Cao Min. Three breaths passed and it was all the time that was needed.
This indecision has proven to be an eternal regret to all souls present here today. Alas, that was how they deemed it to be from here on out.
"Take all the spirit stones! Leave not a single piece behind!" Cao Min ordered his fellow Inner Disciples and the rest was history. But deep inside, Cao Min knew that he was not going to keep all this wealth for himself alone.
'I need to bribe the Elders after this and give them an equal share of this treasure. Else I'd be dead before the sun goes down today.'
Cao Min sighed deeply and could only accept the fact that a mere Peak Foundation Establishment Realm could not eat all this food and not suffer some sort of indigestion in the end.
This was the way of this cultivation world and only those that had significant strength could survive the envy of the people.
* * *
"How have you come upon so many spirit stones, Young Master Clark?" Elder Feng Lin asked after a sumptuous meal that they have shared.
They were inside their favorite establishment, Every Drunkard's Refuge, and was totally enjoying the kind treatment that one of Founders in the place had given them.
With every added visit, Lady Yi Xinya has only offered the warmest of welcome unto their group and never less.
It did not need saying that Elder Feng Ren truly loved this kind of care that they were having from the beautiful hostess of the place.
Feng Ren was indeed so smitten by the foxy beauty of Lady Yi.
"Those are nothing, Uncle Lin. Mere pocket change in my hands. I have more of them. An almost infinite resource in fact." Clark smiled mysteriously and opened a palm up.
One shiny spirit stone could be seen from upon it. A breath later, the precious object moved slowly towards Elder Feng Lin.
Our bored gamer closed and opened his palm and there it was again. A single spirit stone that was considered the best treasure any cultivator could have in this day and age.
The spirit stone floated gently and went into the hands of Elder Feng Ren this time around. All the while, both brothers could only gawk at this wizardry in absolute surprise.
Not for anything but because of how Young Master Clark has made this exchange without any apparent effort at all.
'Elemental Bending!'
'Does Young Master Clark also has an Innate Elemental Attribute?'
Elders Feng Ren and Feng Lin simultaneously had these thoughts but were wise enough to not pry too deeply on the secrets of this young gifted boy in their midst.
They know that everyone has secrets and has their own fortuitous encounter and in this case, someone who was destined to become a True Immortal someday would have only gotten a dozen of these fortuitous encounters, if not more.
One should know that a cultivator can only try to bend the elements of nature in the Foundation Establishment Realm.
"What's the look of surprise all for? A boy like me who is destined for greatness has a lot of tricks left hidden in my sleeves.
If I enumerate them in full, we would be talking here for days before we could ever finish." Our bored gamer chuckled.
"You are truly meant for greater things, Young Master Clark." Elder Feng Lin nodded in admiration.
He could already see that the Demonic Sword Sect would rise from today's secluded existence and dominate over all people of the Withered Continent.
"Indeed. You only need to cultivate with a whole hearted focus and I'm sure that you will become an Overlord in this world, Young Master Clark!" Elder Feng Ren added on the side.
"I know. I know. Hehehe. Now why don't you tell me what you see in those spirit stones." Clark said to the brothers. He was about to reveal a secret and it was a fun one.
Our bored gamer could not help but be excited for the expressions of these two later on.
The Elders did just that and it did not take long for them to give their opinions on the matter at hand.
"They look precious and pristine, Young Master Clark. Just like any other spirit stone." It was Elder Feng Ren who said his piece first but his brother Feng Lin had another idea altogether.
"CRACK!" The spirit stone crumbled into dust and what was expected did not come to be.
Instead of melting in liquid once more and transforming back into the natural state of spirit liquid, the supposed to be expensive thing remained specks of dust and nothing more.
"A fake." Elder Feng Lin concluded.
He knew that there was something fishy with how Young Master Clark would act like nothing at all even if he would lose about a trillion spirit stones earlier.
So this was the reason, Elder Feng Lin thought inside.
"HAHAHA! You really know how to make a joke, Young Master Clark! I could already see Cao Min's face turn into purple and green after he realized that he has danced in your palms like a toy!"
Feng Ren exploded in bouts of laughter. Only this music of mirth rang for a few breaths inside the private dining room they were in.
"What about its effect, Young Master Clark? Did you perhaps put something else or is this just pure..."
Feng Ren asked after a time as he wanted to know more but was unable to complete his words.
"You will know about it soon enough, Uncle Lin. But let's finish our meal first with a bottle or two." Our bored gamer replied and filled four cups to the brim.
He did not dare exclude the temperamental lady at his side. He served Lin Che's glass and made a toast for more happy days to come. To which, the Primal Warden only had these words to say...
"To more evil days you mean." Lin Che commented darkly but like the rest of her offensive words before, the three men before her had all but ignored them once again.�
* * *
"You have done well, Cao Min! You are a good disciple of the sect. I hope your peers will learn to emulate your deeds from now on." An Elder of the Demonic Sword Sect applauded.
"If you have any questions and doubts in your cultivation, you only need to find me and I will be sure to teach you and give some pointers. Anytime and free of charge!"
Another Elder of the sect promised.
"Cao Min, for your tribute, I will..."
.
..
...
The rest of the Elders all gave some boon in one form or another and some even gifted Cao Min with magical tools and alchemy pills.
It could be seen from these acts alone that everyone gathered in this secret hall was indeed pleased with today's harvest.
"Thank you for your kind words, my esteemed Seniors. I am only doing what's I believe is best for the sect."
Cao Min bowed to the Elders and it was quite shocking to see that everyone's cultivation in here was already in the Golden Core.
Some were even in the peak stage of the Golden Core Realm and this select few were absolutely the top tier power in the Demonic Sword Sect.
These were the faction leaders and their influence were strong and deeply rooted in this sect already. Cao Min was really pretty wise to feed the Dragon's mouth first before his own.
"Well done, Cao Min. You can go back now." An Elder said and they went on their separate ways to retire for the night.
* * *
"Don't let anyone disturb me." Cao Min ordered his slave. He was already back inside his residence and was only too excited to start refining his harvest for the day.
"I hear you, Master Cao Min." The slave bowed low and looked at Cao Min locked the doors thereafter.
A muted flash visited the scene as the intricate defensive formations activated in full around the vicinity of the place.
"Hmmm... This has been a fortunate day indeed. Not only for me but also to many souls in the sect.
And perhaps the greatest benefit that I could boast after this was how I've earned the notice and favor of the Elders." Cao Min muttered and said no other word after this.
He sat in a lotus position and began popping pills from his interspatial ring. He dropped ten spirit stones and chewed them with haste.
The pieces of hard round sources of pure power dissolved inside his mouth and it brought the familiar taste of euphoria in his psyche.
Cao Min's body tingled with the rush of an epic high and it felt for a second or two that none would break this extreme immersion of ecstasy that he was currently in.
This remained true for a full three breaths in the count.
When the fourth beat arrived in silence, Cao Ming's expression changed from the guise of perfect satisfaction and happiness unto the look of surprise and wonder.
"What's this?! How am i..." Cao Min whispered but did not finish his words in time.
"Pruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut!" A long whistle came from beneath him and there was a wet bad smell that followed.
Alas, it was only the beginning because the total loss of bowel movement enforced its will on his body over and over again.
"I'm dead." This sad realization appeared in the mind of Cao Min even as he rushed towards the nearby lavatory of his chamber.