31 A Sudden Windfall

After a brief moment of shock, Cui Huai and Jiang Xuan, both short on spirit stones, were the first to respond.

Cui Huai scurried about with fawning enthusiasm: "Brilliant! The third senior brother just bought a stack of paper and ink recently. I'll go get them for you!"

Jiang Xuan volunteered: "Then I shall grind the ink for our junior brother!"

Fu Qin: "..."

Had she really become so stingy that she had to sponge off his stationery?

Seeing Fu Qin’s speechless expression, Cui Huai added, "It’s not that I want to take advantage of the third senior brother," though that was exactly what she wanted, "but everything you use is exquisite. Chengxin paper and pine-soot ink are common items to you; using your supplies adds a touch of class to the letter, which makes it easier to demand compensation from the Luoxia Sect."

Sophistry. Fu Qin didn't believe a word of it.

In this sect, he was the odd one out, simply because he was too wealthy and too generous.

With everyone’s collective effort, the letter was finally sent—written by Zhu Yu on Fu Qin’s exorbitantly priced paper with his premium ink, and delivered via the most expensive spirit bird that Fu Qin’s stones could hire.

They couldn't let the Luoxia Sect think that the predecessor Lingxu had left town, or else the spirit stones would never reach the Xiaoyao Sect. Even feigning mystery required capital; to play the part of a big spender, one had to invest, and the one footing the bill was Fu Qin.

Fu Qin didn't understand. He wasn't short on spirit stones, and this idea had nothing to do with him, so why did he always end up being the patsy?

Perhaps it was because Jiang Xuan and Cui Huai kept showering him with flattery.

Jiang Xuan: "Third senior brother, you are the most affluent and generous person in the entire sect."

Cui Huai: "Third senior brother, you advanced two levels just yesterday; I truly can't keep up with you. And not only are you powerful, but you are also incredibly magnanimous. You are truly one of a kind in our sect!"

Hearing this, Fu Qin felt a bit dizzy. After all, this was the first time Cui Huai had admitted she wasn't his equal. Even if it was just to swindle money, she had still said it!

Jiang Xuan: "The first time I met the third senior brother, I knew he was extraordinary. After spending time with him, I realized I had underestimated him. The word 'extraordinary' doesn't do him justice; he is truly 'transcendent and refined'!"

Cui Huai: "Unlike the eldest senior brother, I didn't get a good look the first time I met the third senior brother, but through our time together, I have been thoroughly conquered by his personal charisma. Now, I take him as my role model!"

It was the first time his proud and haughty junior sister had called him a role model. Even if he doubted her sincerity, it was undeniably pleasant to hear.

Zhao Zhixu watched, stunned, and silently covered her face. Was this how the little rascal Jiang Xuan used to coax her into giving up her spirit stones before the others joined the sect?

Fu Qin, at the center of the whirlwind, grew dizzy under the barrage of praise from the duo.

His cultivation wasn't enough; he had actually lost himself in that cascade of flattery!

***

They had all assumed it would take some twists and turns to trick the Luoxia Sect out of their spirit stones—or rather, to obtain compensation on behalf of the predecessor Lingxu.

Yet, things went smoother than expected. They had only asked for one thousand spirit stones in the letter, but the Luoxia Sect actually gave them two thousand! In their reply, they were profusely apologetic, swiftly retrieved their disciples, and promised to discipline them thoroughly.

In truth, the Luoxia Sect had panicked the moment thirty-some disciples went missing for a night. After much inquiry, they discovered they had offended the person staying at the Xunwei Studio.

Although the high-level cultivators at the Xunwei Studio changed their generation every fifty years to avoid raising suspicion among mortals, the upper echelons of the nearby cultivation sects knew the truth—there was a master at the Xunwei Studio who must not be provoked.

The letter had detailed how precious and irreplaceable the chairs and tables damaged by the Luoxia disciples were. When they only requested one thousand stones, the Luoxia Sect quickly paid up to avoid disaster, tossing in an extra thousand as a sign of respect.

Upon receiving the stones, Zhu Yu actually felt a pang of regret. He had been too conservative! Had he known it would be this easy, he should have asked for more!

When it came time to split the loot—no, to share the fruits of their labor—Zhu Yu was pinned under the predatory stares of his eldest senior brother and fourth senior sister.

Zhu Yu had already done the math. Since there were an extra thousand stones, he simply doubled the original plan.

"I came up with the idea, so I should take a bit more. I’ll take six hundred spirit stones. No objections, right?"

No one objected. The only two who might have had an opinion, Jiang Xuan and Cui Huai, were busy trying to curry favor with Zhu Yu in hopes of getting a larger share, so they listened obediently.

Besides, they couldn't be happier that the miserly Zhu Yu only wanted six hundred.

Zhu Yu continued: "Logically, the third senior brother provided the initial funds, so he should also get more. But since he doesn't lack spirit stones and doesn't care for such trifles, shall we split his share equally like everyone else?"

Fu Qin didn't care about these few stones, but hearing that, he gritted his teeth in annoyance: "I think I need these stones too."

Zhu Yu feigned surprise: "Oh, I don't mind, but if you take more, senior brother, there will be less for the fourth senior sister."

In an instant, Cui Huai’s eyes lit up. She grabbed Fu Qin’s arm: "Senior brother, you know that the moment I get spirit stones, the first thing I do is pay you back. Just yield a little!"

"The money is just moving from your left pocket to your right pocket; it makes no difference to you, right?"

"You weren't happy with the fortune-telling I did for you before, right? This time, I guarantee you'll be satisfied! I can also read palms. Let me read yours!"

"..."

After sowing discord, Zhu Yu smiled and remained silent. After all, no one in the sect could tame the third senior brother, but the fourth senior sister certainly could.

Conflicts wouldn't disappear; they would only be redirected. Seeing that the senior brother had no time to bicker with him, the senior sister would handle it.

Fu Qin felt a headache coming on from Cui Huai’s incessant chatter. He rubbed his temples firmly and finally gave up his right to a larger share. This little junior brother was truly something else; at only twenty, he was as cunning as an old fox.

He really should let those "clever" youngsters in his clan see this—they were nowhere near as shrewd as his junior brother!

"Then I propose giving the eldest senior brother five hundred. The remaining nine hundred will be split equally among the three of you—the second senior sister, the third senior brother, and the fourth senior sister get three hundred each. How is that?"

Jiang Xuan was suddenly struck by a pleasant surprise and was dazed with joy.

He hadn't misjudged his little junior brother! He really did care about him!

Cui Huai was the first to object. Her attitude toward her recent partner-in-crime, Jiang Xuan, shifted instantly, and she complained indignantly: "Why does Jiang Xuan get more?"

"Because the senior brother was bullied by the Luoxia Sect disciples for so long. Since this money was swindled from them, he should get a little more to compensate for the pain he suffered in the past."

As soon as these words were out, Cui Huai stopped objecting. She even felt that she, who had been blinded by greed just a moment ago, was truly heartless.

Jiang Xuan was moved to tears. He rushed over to Zhu Yu and gave him a bear hug.

Zhu Yu sighed. His eldest senior brother was a big fool; he had been hurt so many times, yet he forgave those people after just beating up Wang Zhining once.

Zhu Yu wasn't one to engage in deception, but he felt no burden when swindling the Luoxia Sect. They had, after all, indulged their disciples in bullying his senior brother for far too long. They deserved to pay a real price.

The debts his senior brother didn't care about, he would collect.

The system screamed in Cui Huai's head: "No way, no way! Cui Huai, aren't you going to do something about this? Don't tell me this grand male-protagonist novel is turning into a dual-male-lead one!"

Cui Huai didn't understand, nor did she want to. She was busy counting her spirit stones back and forth.

Just as Jiang Xuan was overcome with gratitude toward his little junior brother, Zhu Yu reached out: "Senior brother, give me the spirit stones you just received. That way, the debt you owe me will be paid off, principal and interest included."

Jiang Xuan’s tears of gratitude vanished instantly. Having just gained—and immediately lost—five hundred spirit stones, he was back to being penniless.

Was the five hundred stones split specifically for this? He happened to owe his junior brother exactly five hundred!

Zhu Yu reclaimed the stones without mercy. Business was business; he wanted to seek justice for his senior brother, but he also wanted to get back the stones he had lent him.

Based on his recent observations of his senior brother, if he didn't collect now, who knew when he would ever see that money again!

***

Having returned one hundred and fifty stones to Fu Qin, Cui Huai pulled him down to sit before he could ask why the other one hundred and fifty weren't returned. She insisted on reading his palm.

How could she possibly read palms? It was just that he hadn't believed the result of the coin toss last time, so she had to find a different way to hoodwink him.

If he wouldn't listen to the serious divination, she would just make up some nice things to appease him.

Cui Huai grabbed Fu Qin’s right hand. His hand was like the man himself—exquisite, fair, slender, and with well-defined knuckles.

The moment she grabbed his hand, Fu Qin wanted to pull it away, but doing so would look too deliberate, as if he were afraid. So, he forced himself to endure the inexplicable shyness and let Cui Huai examine it over and over.

Cui Huai had calluses on her hands from years of sword practice, and as she traced the lines on his palm, it felt ticklish and numb.

Fu Qin endured it for a while, then a little longer, until his face turned from red to black. He gritted his teeth and asked: "Junior sister, have you touched enough?"

Even though his creditor was losing patience, Cui Huai didn't let go immediately. She closed her eyes and rambled nonsense: "Last time I said you had a romantic tribulation, but looking at your palm now, I see that heaven always provides a way out. You will overcome all hardships and eventually achieve a perfect ending. There is light at the end of the tunnel!"

Fu Qin’s face darkened. He felt that Cui Huai was spouting nonsense again!

The ten-thousand-year-old turtle he had consulted previously said he had no fate for marriage in his life. Cui Huai had guessed twice, and neither time had she even come close to the right answer.

Just as he sneered and prepared to yank his hand back, something greyish-brown shot out from nowhere and slammed into his face.

What in the world was this!

Did she have to launch an attack during a palm reading?

Cui Huai, you are really something else.

***

After suffering more hardships than any fox in its lifetime, the little white fox finally reached the Xiaoyao Sect. Its white fur was now stained a dirty grey.

It had just finished lamenting how shabby the place was when it caught the scent of Sword Sovereign Lingye.

It hadn't been a wasted effort! It hadn't come to the wrong place.

When the fox followed the scent and found the Sword Sovereign, it didn't even have time to be happy before it saw the Sovereign sitting face-to-face with a man. That man was actually holding the Sovereign’s hand and touching him!

The fox had a keen nose, and it felt that the man was a bird.

Weren't those feathered creatures supposed to be arrogant? Always looking down on them for being clingy? Why was he acting so touchy-feely?

The little fox tilted its head, its mind filled with: "Who are you? Who do you think you are? How dare you commit such an offense? How dare you touch the Sword Sovereign’s hand?"

The little white fox was so angry its fur stood on end. It couldn't let the Sword Sovereign be bullied.

It gathered its strength, sprinted, leaped, and collided.

And just like that, the little white fox successfully landed its butt right on Fu Qin’s face.