Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Need to Figure Out a Way to Make Some Money
Editor: Henyee Translations
After learning the details from Senior Sister An, Ling Yunpo’s thoughts also sank.
The issue itself was not complex: This month, the monthly stipend that Qingluo Peak was supposed to receive had for some reason been changed from intermediate grade spirit stones to low grade spirit stones by the Administrative Hall.
As a currency, the two were essentially equivalent.
However, as spellcasting materials for a Spirit Gathering Array, low grade spirit stones were far inferior to intermediate grade spirit stones.
Therefore, An Zhisu took up her sword and went to the Administrative Hall, questioning why their stipend had been covertly reduced.
The result was that she was challenged by a Brother Shi from the Administrative Hall, on the grounds of offending the Administrative Hall.
It should be explained here that the Shushan Shangqing Sect advocates the exchange of swordsmanship through sparring, and those of the same cultivation level can challenge each other.
The person being challenged, if they wish to refuse the duel, must pay spirit stones to the sect as a penalty.
Under the same set of restrictions, if the challenged party accidentally kills the challenger in a duel, they will not face any punishment.
An Zhisu wasn’t wary of this duel, as she had already reached the Great Perfection of the Refining Mansion stage and was on the verge of entering the Golden Core Realm, truly having no equals among her peers.
Unexpectedly, during the duel, the opponent used some kind of secret technique to forcefully elevate his cultivation, temporarily gaining the strength of a “False Core,” and caught the unprepared Senior Sister off guard, severely injuring her.
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“Damn that Shi Ziming!” Ling Yunpo yelled in rage, “To plot against Senior Sister like this, I, Ling Yunpo, will definitely not let this go!”
[Unyielding Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.]
“Shut up, Ah Jing! I was being serious just now, it wasn’t for the sake of increasing the synchronization value!” Ling Yunpo gnashed his teeth in his heart.
“Don’t take it to heart, Junior Brother,” An Zhisu shook her head, “Shi Ziming is already dead.”
Ling Yunpo: ………
So the guy with “False Core” cultivation, a whole realm ahead of me, got taken down by you?
And that’s without any prior knowledge. If Senior Sister had been prepared, wouldn’t you have emerged from the duel completely unscathed?
Senior Sister, your strength is just outrageous!
“Well, it did save that jerk some trouble,” Ling Yunpo sneered, “Otherwise, I would’ve gone to his door with my three-foot sword to show that Shi Ziming a thing or two!”
“The guy is at Refining Mansion stage, you’re at Qi Refinement stage, how would you challenge him?” An Zhisu laughed as she shook her head.
“Then I’ll just pick a fight with his Junior Brother!” Ling Yunpo said indignantly, “However he hurt Senior Sister, I’ll return it to his Junior Brother… No, I’ll return it tenfold!”
“Well said,” An Zhisu spoke approvingly, “We, as Sword Immortals, should have such vigor. Ready to face the consequences of our actions, we cut down anyone who stands in our way, heavenly demons and gods alike, with a single slash of the sword!”
As she spoke, she sighed gently:
“But don’t be too impulsive. After all, we can’t solve the monthly stipend issue.”
Ling Yunpo was rendered speechless as well.
The duel was one thing, but the monthly stipend was another.
The head elder of the Administrative Hall was at the Nascent Soul Realm, and Senior Sister An couldn’t possibly go threatening the elder with her sword.
Even if Shi Ziming had initially acted on his own, after Senior Sister An had killed him, the Administrative Hall was even less likely to change the stipend.
Otherwise, people outside would think that An Zhisu had frightened the Administrative Hall to the point of forcing the elder to readjust the stipend; how could the Administrative Hall continue its presence in Shushan then?
Does the head elder of the Administrative Hall have no pride?
Thinking of this, Ling Yunpo also felt the situation was insoluble.
The problem was that their master, Su Jian, was in seclusion and not emerging!
Shushan had rules, but after all, rules were not laws. When encountering numerous oversights, only the elders could coordinate a solution.
Now without an elder on Qingluo Peak, once they met an evildoer who exploited the loopholes in the rules, wouldn’t they be as helpless as dough ready to be kneaded?
No wonder Senior Sister An always struck mercilessly in every duel. If she didn’t establish her might, Qingluo Peak would likely not stand for even a single day!
“Don’t worry, Junior Brother,” An Zhisu said with a smile, “Before the master entered seclusion, he left some valuables in the side room. I’ll sell them in the market for spirit stones. Our cultivation won’t be delayed.”
“Senior Sister, this is still not a long-term solution,” Ling Yunpo murmured.
“Yes, I will figure something out,” An Zhisu said seriously.
……
Speaking of cultivation, Ling Yunpo actually was not lacking spirit stones.
Because Qiu Changtian from Kunlun was the direct disciple of the Ziwei Master and the chief disciple of this generation, the cultivation resources he received every month were very abundant.
Of course, the spirit stones Qiu Changtian received from the Kunlun Sect had to be invested in the Spirit Gathering Array of Golden Ridge; they couldn’t be given directly to Ling Yunpo to ease Senior Sister An’s mind.
Otherwise, if the junior brothers and sisters saw that the number of spirit stones in the Spirit Gathering Array was incorrect, there would be a problem.
“Speaking of which,” the Kunlun Mirror suddenly said in his mind, “do you like this Senior Sister An?”
“Yes,” Ling Yunpo readily admitted, “My senior sister is beautiful with a sweet temperament, kind-hearted, and takes care of me meticulously. Isn’t it very normal for me to like my senior sister?”
“What about Xu Yinglian?” the Kunlun Mirror asked again after a long silence.
Ling Yunpo also was silent for a long time before he said:
“Ah Jing.”
“What is it?”
“The sky, in fact, is colorless; it hasn’t deceived you, it’s just your own eyes that have deceived you.”
“…What do you mean?”
“The one who made a Daoist companion marriage promise with Xu Yinglian is Qiu Changtian of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, what does that have to do with me, Ling Yunpo of Shushan?”
The Kunlun Mirror: ……….
It felt the urge to crack on the spot.
Ling Yunpo continued with an unchanged expression:
“There is no truth or lie in this world, only cold, hard facts that stand firmly in place.”
“Yet everyone in this world only treats the ‘facts’ that are favorable to themselves as the truth to live by.”
“Because if they don’t do so, there would be no other reason to live.”
“But in reality, for the vast majority of beings that occupy most of the world,”
“the ‘facts’ that can’t affirm themselves are all the truth there is.”
“I am neither Qiu Changtian nor Ling Yunpo.”
“I am the savior, destined to collect all the fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone and obliterate the impending Age of Dharma Decline completely.”
“Under such immense pressure, I must resort to whatever means necessary to seek a higher existence.”
“Mastering the teachings of myriad schools, proficient in the myriad laws of all families, leaving everyone behind.”
“Until, I stand completely above these Nine Heavens!”
The Kunlun Mirror was left speechless by him.
Well, after all, cultivators are mostly like this, seeking mighty power within themselves. It was understandable.
“Are you going back to Kunlun now?”
“Yes, let’s reload the save,” Ling Yunpo nodded and said.
[Countdown to world destruction: One thousand years.]
[Please hurry in searching for the Heaven-Mending Stone.]
The Kunlun Mirror robotically recited:
[Location one: The Kunlun Taiqing Sect’s Golden Ridge Cave Abode.]
[Identity: Qiu Changtian.]
[Mirror Flower Water Moon Template overlaying, time-space travel in progress.]
On the stone bed in his own cave abode, Qiu Changtian abruptly opened his eyes.
Outside it was still night, the time stayed right after Qiu Changtian had finished studying the Taoist scriptures and returned from the Jade Void Palace with Xu Yinglian.
Qiu Changtian stepped out of the cave abode, gazed at the Milky Way and the brilliant stars, and couldn’t help but heave a sigh.
The path of cultivation requires wealth, companions, teachings, and a place; without wealth, nothing can be done.
…I should still find a way to get some money for Ling Yunpo.