Use?
“I didn’t take advantage of Shifu.” This time, Jiang Ke’er’s answer was absolutely honest, with a clear conscience.
“Still say you didn’t take advantage? You and the organization behind you are stirring trouble, diverting hatred onto Taiming Sect!” Yuan Shouyi’s face darkened.
“I was wrong—I shouldn’t have saved you! I ended up helping your plan succeed again!”
“But you still saved me.” Jiang Ke’er looked up and met his gaze.
“That’s only because Taiming Sect has always been clear about favors and grudges! You saved Taiming Sect once; now I saved your life. We’re even!” Yuan Shouyi turned his back.
“Tell your organization not to set their sights on Taiming Sect again!”
“Organization?” Jiang Ke’er sneered bitterly. “What organization do I have? My organization is Taiming Sect itself.”
Yuan Shouyi raised his sword-like eyebrows and turned around.
“You’ve been following me for four days. Don’t you know why I’m doing all this?” Jiang Ke’er stepped forward, meeting his eyes without a hint of shame.
“Let me ask you: starting today, is Taiming Sect willing to become the sole distributor of Shenzhou’s Lucky Bags?”
Yuan Shouyi shuddered. Jiang Ke’er’s words startled him deeply.
How could he not know the wealth hidden in this?
“We split the profits fifty-fifty. I take half, Taiming Sect takes half… I provide the ideas and pill formulas; Taiming Sect handles production and sales.”
As she spoke, Jiang Ke’er waved her sleeve, tossing a rolled-up pill formula directly into Yuan Shouyi’s arms.
He opened it, and another shudder ran through him. He was dumbfounded.
“Pill formulas… you just gave these to me?”
What kind of trust was this? Or… was it another trick?
No, if the pill formulas were already on the table, what trick could there still be?
“Why?” Yuan Shouyi clenched the formulas, unable to believe it.
“A drop of kindness deserves a fountain of gratitude. Although this world doesn’t value such things… I like this kind of approach.” Jiang Ke’er looked away awkwardly.
“Besides, I’m short on money. Weak and isolated, I wouldn’t last long on my own. I need a strong backing.” Jiang Ke’er added.
“But…” Yuan Shouyi was still dazed. “Is this on behalf of your organization? Your organization…”
“I don’t have an organization. I cracked these pill formulas myself. The other side can’t scare me simply because I’m heartless,” Jiang Ke’er admitted.
Impossible.
This was unbelievable.
It shattered all his views!
“So, you alone cracked the pill formulas that dozens of pill cultivator sects rely on to survive?” Yuan Shouyi swallowed hard, obviously struggling to believe it.
“With only your Four Symbols level cultivation, you boldly planned all of this, riding roughshod over the respected elders of dozens of major sects, bluffing them all?”
Uh, bluffing was an appropriate term, though it somewhat shattered the dignified image of the Sect Leader.
But he didn’t seem to mind. At this point, his whole worldview was already collapsing.
Jiang Ke’er nodded. “Exactly. Believe it or not.”
“Damn it!”
Yuan Shouyi almost burst into tears.
Reason told him not to believe it. Even a madman wouldn’t spin such illogical lies.
But precisely because it was so absurd—so contrary to the calm, sharp, and controlling demeanor she showed in front of other sect leaders—that made Yuan Shouyi more inclined to believe her.
But if she wasn’t lying…
Then… had he wasted his entire life?
Even if she was older, she couldn’t be more than a teenager. That unmistakable new Foundation Establishment aura was impossible to fake.
So what had she been doing since coming to Taiming Sect?
In medical arts, poison technique, and injury methods, she had crushed the Hall of the Wild Dragon, pushing them to the brink of ruin!
Then in alchemy, she demonstrated terrifying talent and power that shattered all prior beliefs.
She devised a novel scheme never seen in the cultivation world: using people’s gambling nature to profit from Lucky Bags… and was incredibly daring!
Daring enough to threaten super strong experts—sect leaders from the top-tier mega sects of Shenzhou—just with empty words.
And damn it, she succeeded!
Her entire plan was swift and smooth, flawless in every detail, wildly imaginative.
Even factoring in his own existence!
Yuan Shouyi felt chills down his spine.
Though many doubts remained, his intuition told him she wouldn’t harm Taiming Sect.
After all, she had saved Taiming Sect from danger multiple times, regardless of her motives—that was a fact.
“Hmph, brat,” Yuan Shouyi snorted coldly, but his tone was a little sour, “It’s funny. The cultivation world doesn’t care about repaying kindness, but Taiming Sect does! You repay a drop with a fountain—then Taiming Sect will repay with an ocean!”
“Huh?”
Jiang Ke’er blinked, stunned.
“Old man though I am, I’m not going to lose to some little girl, nor be afraid of you!” Yuan Shouyi angrily grabbed Jiang Ke’er by the collar. “I agree to your terms. Now come back to the Sect with me!”
“Eh eh eh?”
Jiang Ke’er didn’t expect such a reaction from Yuan Shouyi.
This old man was so old, yet somehow a bit childish!
“If you’re not tricking me,” Yuan Shouyi flew toward Taiming Sect with her in hand, “from today on, you make the money, and I’ll take the blame!”
“…”
Suddenly, Jiang Ke’er’s whole body relaxed.
Held in Yuan Shouyi’s grip, she smiled foolishly, hugging her tail and rubbing her face against it with satisfaction.
Finally, she didn’t have to worry anymore.
After days of dancing on the edge, she had nothing left in reserve.
The people of Taiming Sect had a strange kind of magic that let her relax.
Even the fierce-looking Sect Leader was like this… as if the entire Sect’s style was unlike anywhere else in Shenzhou.
Being honest and gambling everything on trust was worth it.
Yuan Shouyi brought Jiang Ke’er back to Taiming Sect, flying straight to the main peak, Xihe Peak.
“Sect Leader senior brother!”
“Sect Leader!”
With shouts of joy, the various peak masters gathered at Xihe Peak hurried to greet them.
“Sect Leader, those troublemakers have withdrawn. The situation across the lands…”
“No need to say more. I already know the situation better than you,” Yuan Shouyi’s expression was troubled.
“I’ll discuss everything with you later… Yiqin, come out and pick up your precious little treasure!”
Master Yiqin stared in surprise at Jiang Ke’er, who hugged her tail, drowsy and utterly exhausted, then scolded, “Senior Brother Sect Leader, what have you done to our little disciple? I’m telling you, if anything happens to her…”
“Stop! I didn’t do anything! It’s her…” Yuan Shouyi shivered.
“Your Lingyin Valley really produced a treasure this time, but unfortunately…”
“Unfortunately what?”
“It’s a small temple, can’t hold such a thing!” Yuan Shouyi sighed deeply, then looked toward a young man in the crowd.
The man caught Yuan Shouyi’s gaze and hurriedly bowed his head. “Father.”
“Yuan Tiangang, starting today you’ll assist junior sister Qingyi.”
“What???” “What???”
The two involved parties spoke simultaneously, dumbfounded.