“Bu Huan?” Tang Honggong looked at Qian Duoduo for a long time before softly calling out.
Though his voice was soft, to Qian Duoduo, it sounded like a thunderclap from the heavens.
The Palace Lord, like a Heavenly God, his gaze seemed to penetrate Qian Duoduo’s grey robe, flesh, and bones, seeing his Soul, seeing the hidden space within the Golden Toad, and seeing the long-dead Jin Buhuan.
“He saw that I’m not Jin Buhuan and deliberately called me to see if I would respond. If I did, he would ask me things only he and Jin Buhuan knew, exposing my identity.”
“If I didn’t respond, he would directly capture me with a palm strike, throw me back into the Jail, and interrogate me about my true identity—who I am, where I came from, and where I am going.”
“Whether I respond or not, my Cultivation journey is effectively over.”
Qian Duoduo began to tremble like a sieve. He wanted to run, but his legs had no sensation, as if they weren't his own.
“Even if I could run, I couldn’t escape.”
“I don’t even need the Palace Lord; that Seven-Colored Golden Bull could catch me. One ox hoof could kick me over…”
Wang Dahei looked at Qian Duoduo in surprise, astonished that the Palace Lord actually knew him and called out his name.
This Junior Brother, whom they had just gotten to know, suddenly became so unfamiliar.
Qian Duoduo also knew that all the other Senior Brothers were petrified, staring without blinking.
“Bu Huan?” Tang Honggong called out again.
Hearing the sound, Qian Duoduo detected a hint of disappointment in it.
“Of course he’s disappointed. A Cultivation prodigy of the Refining Spirit Sect, at the Ninth Level of Qi Condensation, an Inner Sect Disciple about to Breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Realm, suddenly became someone only at Ningqi Level 2, working odd jobs in the Gold Vault.”
“This is too disappointing!”
“This is unfair to his care, and to the excellent Cultivation environment of Qinglong District.”
“Disappointed. If it were me, I’d be disappointed too. If it were me, I might be even more disappointed, and might even hit me.”
“Bu Huan.” Tang Honggong raised his hand—
“Sure enough, he’s going to hit me. Go ahead and hit me; I can’t resist anyway, and there’s no way to resist. Being hit by him is better than being hit by Jin Buque. An uncle hitting his nephew is only natural. It’s a pity I won’t have the chance to return to the Ninth Level of Qi Condensation, no chance to Cultivate into a Core Formation Cultivator, and let Jin Buhuan’s mother live a good life.”
Qian Duoduo’s tears flowed down.
Once they started, they were like a bursting dam, unstoppable.
Tears blurred his eyes, dripping in a continuous stream, gathering at his chin, and then flowing to the ground.
These tears were for Qian Duoduo, and also for Jin Buhuan.
Such a tragic fate, even though they both tried their best, they were still as powerless as ants…
Two warm, large hands rested on Qian Duoduo’s shoulders.
“Bu Huan, good—nephew, you’ve suffered!”
This was the Palace Lord’s voice—he hadn’t seen through Qian Duoduo’s dual identity.
This was Tang Honggong’s voice. He knew about the injustice Jin Buhuan had suffered.
“Is this my good Zhangzuo Dajiu calling me?! He’s here to uphold justice. To give me and Jin Buhuan, who are struggling, a warm opportunity.” Qian Duoduo thought to himself.
“Wah!” He cried out.
These tears came from a thawing body, from a heart returning to life.
Those large, sun-like hands rubbed his shoulders. Two fiery balls of Spiritual Qi entered his body, circulated through the Spiritual Veins he knew and didn't know, and then withdrew.
“Alright, a man doesn’t easily shed tears.” The large hands patted Qian Duoduo again and left his shoulders.
Qian Duoduo stopped crying and wiped away his tears with the back of his hand.
Zhangzuo Dajiu, Tang Honggong, had already turned his back to him.
Wang Dahei looked at Qian Duoduo fearfully, having lost his confidence as the Great Master.
Tang Honggong raised his head slightly, “I didn’t expect these things to happen during my half-year of secluded Cultivation. A Cultivation prodigy with boundless prospects was not only almost crippled in his cultivation but also became a prisoner, demoted to a Gold Vault attendant. Hehe, this ancient sect… Bu Huan, come back to Qinglong District with me. There, you can recover your Cultivation faster.”
“Gr-gr-grand-uncle, I’m only at Ningqi Level 2.” Qian Duoduo certainly wanted to return to Qinglong District; the medicinal herbs planted in those courtyards would be enough for him to eat for a while. However, Qinglong District was where Inner Sect Disciples lived, and one’s Cultivation had to be at least Condensing Qi Stage Level Seven.
“I am the Palace Lord. If I say you can, who dares to say no?” Tang Honggong said. Although he didn't have much affection for Jin Buhuan, after coming out of seclusion and discovering Jin Buhuan's tragic experiences during this period, he was thoroughly enraged. A Cultivation Genius in the Immortal Mountains he managed was almost suppressed into a cripple. If he didn't assert his authority, more people would act recklessly.
His domineering aura filled the air, making the fat on Wang Dahei’s face tremble three times: it felt so good to have someone covering for you. It was like stealing grain from the landlord’s house in the village and not having to worry about dogs biting.
“Hmm…” Qian Duoduo thought about it, still feeling that it would be better to stay at a level commensurate with his Cultivation.
What is gained by strength not belonging to oneself will not belong to oneself forever.
“Grand-uncle, I think, since I could rush from level zero to level nine, then I have even more confidence to rely on my own strength to rush back from level two to level nine, or even higher. That way, no matter who it is, they will be convinced, both in words and in heart.”
After careful consideration, Qian Duoduo decided to refuse the Palace Lord Dajiu’s kind offer.
“Good!” Tang Honggong suddenly turned around, “You have ambition. You are indeed my Tang Honggong’s nephew. The Immortal Cave at Qinglong District, C-Shen, I’ll keep it for you. When you return to the Inner Sect, you can still live there.”
“However, I will give you a protective Magic Treasure.” A red jade pendant appeared in Tang Honggong’s hand, “This item is a high-grade artisan artifact, capable of blocking attacks from Cultivators below Core Formation, and can be used three times.”
Receiving the jade pendant, Qian Duoduo knew that with this item, his troubles within the Refining Spirit Sect would be greatly reduced.
...
“Are you really Jin Buhuan?” Tang Honggong had been gone for a long time, but Wang Dahei still couldn’t believe what had just happened.
“If I’m not, then who is?” Qian Duoduo chuckled, thinking: “Even the Palace Lord didn’t see through my identity, so it’s even more impossible for the Senior Brothers to know I’m not Jin Buhuan.”
The other Senior Brothers surrounded him, looking at Qian Duoduo as if he were a rare and exotic beast they had never seen before.
Eighth Senior Brother Lei Jiashu said, “Are you really that Jin Buhuan, one of the ten great Xiong Jun of the Inner Sect who always acts alone?”
“The genuine article.”
Third Senior Brother Bai Machi slapped Qian Duoduo’s back, “You kid are really foolish. You could eat eight big bowls, but you stick to two small dishes.”
Several Senior Brothers shared his opinion, believing that Qian Duoduo should return to Qinglong District and didn't need to suffer in the Gold Vault.
Wang Dahei pointed a finger at Qian Duoduo: “You don’t understand, do you? This is ambition, this is backbone.”
Bai Machi sighed, “Ambition and backbone also need capital. Junior Brother will be able to return to Qinglong District in a few days. Alas, we still have to guard this Gold Vault that is rich on the surface but poor at its core.”
These days, Qian Duoduo had inquired about some rules of the Refining Spirit Sect. According to the level of Cultivation, the sect provides Cultivation fees to Cultivators: Ningqi Level 1 gets 100 gold coins per month, Level 2 gets 200, Level 3 gets 300. From Ningqi Level 4 onwards, one enters the Outer Sect: Level 4 gets 500, Level 5 gets 700, Level 6 gets 900. Ningqi Level 7 enters the Inner Sect, and the Cultivation fee is even higher.
Gold coins had been the common currency fixed thousands of years ago. Before that, the common currency was Spirit Stone, but later, with the improvement of the Spiritual Qi System, the status of Spirit Stone plummeted. Gold coins, with their relatively fixed value and greater difficulty in counterfeiting and refining, became the equivalent for Cultivators to exchange goods.
Eating, drinking, and Cultivating in the sect, as well as buying Medicinal Pills and Magical Artifacts, were all paid for with gold coins.
If Cultivation doesn't improve, the Cultivation fee remains fixed.
The eight Senior Brothers were all at Qi Condensation Level 3. They only had 2,400 gold coins per month, and after carefully selecting and deducting food and other necessities, not much was left.
“Can’t we think of a way to earn some money from other sources?” Qian Duoduo asked Wang Dahei.
After Breaking Through to Ningqi Level 2, his medicinal herbs were all consumed, and he was poor again.
Even though he showed his backbone in front of the Palace Lord Dajiu, he was actually worried about the Cultivation resources for the next level.
Wang Dahei said helplessly, “The Gold Vault stores treasures and money for the sect and charges a 2% storage fee annually. However, all storage fees must be handed over to the sect. Not a single gold coin is related to us.”
How did the landlord in our village make money? Qian Duoduo tried hard to recall: “He would lend grain to the villagers every year, and in the autumn, the villagers would return the grain. When returning it, they would add an 8% interest. Between borrowing and returning, a lot of extra money would be generated.”
“Let’s have our Gold Vault do the business of lending money,” Qian Duoduo tentatively suggested.
“Lend money?” The Senior Brothers were all stunned.