Chapter 66: I Am a Pauper, Go Ask My Master for Compensation

Under the starlight and moonlight, two figures stepped upon a slender tree branch, their robes billowing in the wind as their white and dark hair danced gently in the breeze.

Ling Xi glanced down at the branch beneath her feet—no longer than two feet and no thicker than an index finger—and tightly wrapped her arms around Luo Chen's waist, squinting as she tried to make out their direction.

"Master, didn't you say we were going to the tavern in the city? From the looks of it, this direction is leading back to the sect."

Ling Xi shrank her neck, burying her entire body behind Luo Chen to shield herself from the onslaught of the night wind.

With someone in front blocking the wind, she would have to be out of her mind to let it whip across her face for fun.

"Not entirely blind, are you? This is indeed the road back to the sect." Luo Chen kept his hands tucked inside his sleeves, casting an ambiguous glance backward.

"Weren't we going to save the commoners and slay the heretics?! Could it be that Master has other arrangements?!" The light that had vanished from Ling Xi's eyes suddenly flickered back to life.

She certainly did not want to eat charcoal.

As if completely oblivious to the change in her tone, Luo Chen abruptly increased the speed at which the branch flew.

Unable to control her momentum, Ling Xi lurched forward, her front teeth colliding squarely with Luo Chen's back.

So hard!

Like solid stone.

It nearly chipped her teeth.

In a remarkably good mood, Luo Chen's shoulders trembled as a soft chuckle escaped his lips.

"The Qingchuan Immortal Alliance has already gone; the matter has long been resolved, and your presence there would have been entirely superfluous. Instead, let's give them a surprise at the grand tournament!"

Ling Xi: "..." *Are you sure it won't be a fright...*

Knowing she could not escape the fate of eating charcoal, Ling Xi secretly heighed a sigh in her heart.

Her wandering gaze fell upon her wrist, reminding her of You Fengying's words. "Master, are soul contracts really that terrifying?"

Luo Chen's back stiffened, his fingers curling into fists within his sleeves, though a smile still lingered on his features. "Did someone say something to you?"

"Didn't you hear?" Ling Xi reminded him.

Luo Chen suddenly remembered. "Ah, well, it depends on how they are used. Ordinary soul contracts do not affect a person's disposition or control their actions; they merely deepen the mutual expectations between the two parties."

Ling Xi understood instantly. "Just like that red string."

"Precisely. However, the soul contracts of heretical dark arts can pry into a person's thoughts and manipulate their temperament and behavior. Even after death, both body and soul remain under the control of the master of the contract."

Luo Chen spoke in a light, airy tone, as if they were discussing the evening sky and moonlight rather than a heavy, grim topic.

Ling Xi lowered her gaze, deep in thought.

So that was You Fengying's true intention—to drain her body of all spiritual energy, utterly destroying both physical form and divine soul.

Noticing Ling Xi's low spirits, Luo Chen offered rare words of guidance. "Just live in the present and do not overthink things. You cannot change the choices of others, nor need you feel any sense of indebtedness toward them; they acted entirely of their own free will. Who knows, perhaps you even fulfilled their deepest wishes."

Sensing the arms around his waist twitch slightly, the entire figure behind him began to quiver.

Did he sound that profound?!

Emboldened by this, Luo Chen reeled off several more passages of spiritual chicken soup.

Little did he know that his disciple actually possessed a fondness for toxic chicken soup. Since she had this hobby, he must fully support it and feed it to her daily from now on.

Ling Xi finally burst into hearty laughter. "Master, your words sound so archaic. You surely don't repeat that every time you encounter someone who appears injured, do you?"

Annoyed, Luo Chen stared straight ahead, refusing to look at her. "Am I that idle? I assure you, I have only ever said those words to you."

Ling Xi shook her head, clearly unconvinced.

Thud—

The two of them crashed directly into the water mirror, snapping the branch beneath their feet and sending them plunging toward the ground.

Ling Xi squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself to smash a crater into the earth and then climb out to greet people.

The biting cold wind scraped painfully against her face, abruptly awakening her groggy mind.

She had reached the Foundation Establishment stage now, hadn't she? She could fly on a sword.

However, things had been too urgent at the time, and she hadn't carefully observed how others actually managed their swords.

Earlier, Luo Chen had merely *looked* like he was riding a sword, but in truth, that tree branch was nothing more than a prop; he was simply walking through the air.

How could a mere Golden Core cultivator possess such capability?

Amidst her flustered scrambling, a hand reached out to steady her back, pulling her close by the shoulder.

A moment later, they landed safely.

The instant the soles of Ling Xi's shoes touched the stone tiles, her heart finally settled.

"How is Senior Sister Ling?"

Lu Buwei walked up to them with a smile, the corners of his mouth twitching uncontrollably while a look of distress mixed within his eyes.

Ling Xi was bewildered.

Since when had Lu Buwei cared about her so much?!

The sect master truly must have been driven frantic by the grand tournament.

"I'm quite all right; I'm fine." Ling Xi smiled, politely returning the sentiment. "I trust the sect master is doing well too."

As soon as these words left her mouth, Lu Buwei's expression froze, and the benevolent kindness on his face shattered completely.

"I am delighted to see that you are unharmed, but as for *me*, I am far from fine! The water mirror that I went to such great lengths to have repaired has shattered once more!"

Lu Buwei buried his face behind his sleeve, letting out a muffled wail before lunging straight toward Luo Chen.

"Senior Nephew, just look at this water mirror..."

He paused right on cue, instantly recovering his benevolent expression. Though he addressed Ling Xi, his gaze burned with fervent intensity as he looked at Luo Chen.

Seeing Luo Chen shove Lu Buwei aside, Ling Xi bolted on the spot.

"Sect Master! I am a penniless pauper with no money at all!! It was my master who crashed into it, take it up with him!"

Executing her Flowing Wind Treading Waves technique, Ling Xi let out a wild howl, her heels kicking up sparks against the ground.

She knew all too well that if anyone tried to fleece her, she would be the first victim.

She decided to show her "filial piety" by fleeing with all her might.

Watching Ling Xi sprint away until she vanished from sight, Luo Chen chuckled helplessly. Glancing at the water mirror and confirming there was no one else around, he flicked his finger, sending forth a strand of golden spiritual energy.

The spiritual energy attached itself to the center of the water mirror, sending ripples spreading outward as string after string of runes unfolded across the mirror's surface.

Once Ling Xi's impact marks were completely repaired by the energy, the mirror returned to its pristine state, reflecting a faint silvery-white light beneath the moonlight.

Luo Chen chuckled softly. "Sect Master, you really managed to scheme right against me, didn't you?"

Lu Buwei offered an awkward laugh, rubbing his hands together and looking away with a guilty conscience. "Not at all, not at all. It's mostly just that our budget is tight, so please bear with me."

Luo Chen let out an acknowledging hum, sweeping his sleeve through the air. "Let there be no next time; I do not enjoy being plotted against. If you need something, you can simply state it outright."

He was busy.

He still had to go prepare dinner.

Lu Buwei blocked his path, his neck stiffening as a look of deep financial pain crossed his features. "Very well then, do you think we should hold another trial or not?"

Trial grounds, coupled with the tools distributed to the disciples, burned through an astronomical amount of money.

Not to mention hosting the elders to judge and score everything—fruit platters had to be provided, and expenses piled up everywhere.

Luo Chen left him nothing but his retreating back. "Didn't you already provide your own answer when you asked? But since the sect master is rolling in wealth, just pretend I said nothing."

Clenching his fists, Lu Buwei made a firm resolution. "Fine! Tomorrow I will announce that all disciples advance directly, and we will proceed straight into the third round of trials—the arena matches."

"As you wish."

Watching the snow-white figure blend into the night, Lu Buwei suddenly recalled something vital. "How about we have Ling Xi join our peak's team?"

Although Suian's condition had improved, he was still merely at the first tier of Foundation Establishment, and Wen Jue was in an even worse state.

Arena battles were matters of brute force and genuine skill; there was no room for clever tricks or shortcuts.

Regardless of public duty or personal sentiment, he did not wish to see Ling Xi disqualified from participating in the grand tournament.

"If someone wishes to form a team with her, you need only ask her yourself; I do not interfere in her choices."

Luo Chen's voice drifted back from the night sky, carrying a lazy, lighthearted amusement.

"If none of the disciples from your peak qualify for the tournament, you'll have ten percent of your cultivation shaved off as punishment!" Lu Buwei roared into the darkness, his tone unusually agitated.

"She shares my surname."

Three casual words were tossed back, leaving Lu Buwei feeling as though he had been struck by lightning, forcing him to stumble back several paces.

He stood frozen in place for a long while before suddenly breaking into a laugh.

All he needed to do was find someone to convince Ling Xi.

Hearing his laughter, a disciple who had snuck out to cultivate in the middle of the night jumped in fright and bolted, screaming that there was a ghost, which promptly drew a crowd of curious disciples to investigate together.

Seeing the sect master beaming with radiant energy and smiling with a complete disregard for his usual dignity, the disciples began to whisper among themselves, wildly guessing that the sect master must be having a secret midnight tryst with the sect master's wife.