Chapter 8: Demanding Compensation

Page (1/3)

Lin Rou followed Gu Jiuyuan, looking pitifully at Ling Xi, reaching out to take her hand, only to have it flicked away by Luo Chen.

“Senior sister, please don’t be upset with Master because of me, okay? Haven’t you forgotten the kindness Master has shown you over these past three years?”

The handsome youth wore a look of regret, biting his lip tightly, evoking sympathy from anyone who saw him. Yet Ling Xi was far from being fooled by such a pretty face.

Her expression was conflicted, brows slightly furrowed. She glanced furtively at Gu Jiuyuan before retreating behind Luo Chen, appearing frightened.

“Don’t be afraid. With Master here, no one dares harm you. Right, Chief Gu?”

Luo Chen patted Ling Xi’s head in an upright manner, secretly tying a red string around her wrist while glaring frostily at Gu Jiuyuan.

Though Gu Jiuyuan was indifferent toward Ling Xi, he believed he had not been harsh with her. Being challenged so openly by Luo Chen made him feel embarrassed.

“I have been harsh to you!” He looked at Ling Xi, his gaze cold as if ready to strike her down if she lied.

Ling Xi shook her head. “I wake before dawn to cook, accompany senior brothers in training, and take care of the junior sister—all voluntarily…”

Her voice was as soft as a whisper, listing her duties on Tranquil Peak. Although stating facts, her tone seemed coerced.

Chu Xinghe couldn’t bear it any longer. If she continued, everyone might think Ling Xi had been abused terribly on Tranquil Peak.

“Ling Xi!”

Ling Xi clutched Luo Chen’s sleeve tightly, her shoulders trembling, face pale, tongue tied. “Se… senior brother.”

Countless puzzled gazes turned to Gu Jiuyuan. He regretted speaking up earlier; now he found himself unable to defend his position, especially since he disliked arguments.

Luo Chen had come prepared and was unbeatable in disputes.

“Entering the secret realm is urgent. Any issues can wait until the disciples return safely.” Gu Jiuyuan cast a glance at Ling Xi.

Ling Xi glanced at Lin Rou, then quickly lowered her head, nervously fiddling with Luo Chen’s sleeve. “What if… I don’t come back? After all, no one cares if a useless person dies.”

Gu Jiuyuan took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to slap Ling Xi away, and followed her words, “Then what do you want?”

Ling Xi looked innocent. “I… I don’t want anything.”

She wanted some compensation for her hard work. Could she say that out loud?

She gripped Luo Chen’s sleeve, her big watery eyes sparkling as her brows lifted wildly, signaling a negotiation.

Luo Chen nodded knowingly and cleared his throat. “For years, I have asked Chief Gu to take Ling Xi as a personal disciple, but he refused, claiming she doesn’t endure hardship.”

“Upon learning she suffered on Tranquil Peak, I couldn’t stand it any longer. Taking her as a personal disciple now is no big deal, right? Or is Chief Gu jealous and wants her to continue suffering?”

Watching him speak with a straight face and spout nonsense, Ling Xi gave him an approving thumbs-up in her heart.

She had learned something.

Though it had nothing to do with the money she wanted.

Maybe it was just to set the mood? To lionize her demand?

Page (2/3)

Gu Jiuyuan’s face darkened, but he didn’t know the full extent of Ling Xi’s hardships on Tranquil Peak. With a flick of his sleeve, he turned aside and stood elsewhere. “She’s just an unawakened disciple. If you want her, take her.”

Luo Chen was not insulted at all. Instead, he clasped his hands and thanked him. “Thank you for yielding. From now on, Ling Xi will have no ties to Tranquil Peak. Hopefully, those who don’t want her won’t come to disturb her.”

Gu Jiuyuan glanced coldly at Ling Xi. “She’s just a bottom-tier disciple.”

A useless person, an ordinary individual who doesn’t even know half the spells, aspiring to rank in the trial was absurd.

Only someone as shallow as Luo Chen would treat Ling Xi like a treasure.

He truly didn’t cherish his reputation.

In the various trials and competitions, only the two best teams qualify to descend the mountain for practical experience, and the guardians of Qingchuan are selected from the best disciple teams.

To motivate disciples and peak elders, the Dingkun Sect has a rule: if a peak fails to produce an outstanding team in ten generations, the peak master is dismissed, loses ten percent of their cultivation, and disciples are sent down the mountain to live in the secular world.

Danbo Peak had been bottom-ranked for nine generations, and this was the last one, coincidentally encountered by Luo Chen.

Even if he was specially hired, the ancestral rules of Dingkun Sect could not be changed.

Chu Xinghe followed Gu Jiuyuan, his gaze lingering on Ling Xi with some reluctance, but Gu Jiuyuan was still angry and dared not persuade him.

“Junior sister Ling Xi, you are now severed from Danbo Peak. I beg you, for the sake of Master, it’s not too late.” His tone was matter-of-fact, open, without any concealment.

In his impression, Ling Xi would never abandon Master.

Wen Jue sneered, raising an eyebrow. “If the little runt went to your peak, would she be allowed to participate in this trial?”

This trial was only for personal disciples, and even personal disciples had to compete for limited spots. No inner disciple could join.

“No.”

“Then what would she do there? Would you make her a servant? Is it because you can’t afford spirit stones, or do you have some twisted child abuse fetish, forcing a little girl around ten to do chores?!”

Chu Xinghe was so flustered he could barely breathe, but he believed Ling Xi would stand with him after all these years.

Ling Xi ignored his gaze and looked up at Wen Jue beside her, eyes sparkling. “I’ll listen to senior brother.”

The secret realm’s entrance shimmered, about to open.

Sect Leader Lu Buwei approached. Seeing the two peak masters at odds, he aimed to cut it off completely.

If they missed the opening, the next chance would be sixty years later.

“Let’s end the matter concerning little Ling Xi here. Everyone, prepare to enter the secret realm.”

Seeing no spirit stones in sight, tears streamed down Ling Xi’s face. No longer pretending to be meek, she suddenly opened up.

“Sect Leader, may I ask for some medical expenses?”

“Last time, to save Sister Lin’s life, I blocked a magical beast and got injured. At the strong insistence of the brothers on Tranquil Peak, I returned with even worse injuries. The wounds were severe—I nearly lost my life.”

“Sect Leader spent all his savings nursing me back. As a disciple, how could I use Master’s retirement funds? So I hope Chief Gu can compensate me a bit. After all, a supreme water spiritual root is rare.”

Gu Jiuyuan glanced at the two disciples behind him, displeased but unwilling to cause more trouble.

Page (3/3)

The young disciple’s foundation was weak. To gather herbs for him, Ling Xi injured her spiritual root. Entering the secret realm to obtain the Nine-Orifice Exquisite Fruit, which could improve her root, was the priority.

“How much?”

Ling Xi raised her index finger, voice trembling. “I don’t want much, just want to show filial piety to Master.”

“One thousand?”

Ling Xi corrected him, “One hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones.”

Chu Xinghe exclaimed, “Why don’t you just go rob some?!”

Ling Xi retorted, “Would you risk your life for a hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones? I saved a supreme water spiritual root’s life. With proper nurturing, the sect might produce a Nascent Soul powerhouse in the future.”

Everyone fell silent. Though supreme water spiritual roots greatly benefit the sect, none were willing to die for someone else.

A faint smile curled on Ling Xi’s lips as she spread her hands. “See? No one is willing to risk their life for a hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones. Am I asking for too much? I’m just a useless person trying to plan for Master’s twilight years without harming Chief Gu.”

Under the guise of filial piety, a few peak masters nodded. After her explanation, it didn’t seem excessive.

Still, no one stepped forward to take the lead. Offending Gu Jiuyuan was unwise.

Seeing no response, Ling Xi wiped her tears and smiled, confidently announcing the outcome.

“Thank you all for your kindness. I knew you would stand up for me. Great kindness needs no thanks. I believe Chief Gu is reasonable and will do his best to compensate.”

She extended a small palm, eyes fixed on Gu Jiuyuan.

His face flushed blue, then red, then blue again, the coldness in his eyes deepening.

She had only been at Danbo Peak a few days and had already learned shamelessness.

He was utterly disappointed in this disciple.

Neither he nor Chu Xinghe behind him had brought that much money.

In the end, he could only scowl and write an IOU in front of everyone.

Rumble—

The stone gate trembled, golden patterns flickering as an overwhelming pressure swept out from the cracks.

The gate fully opened.

A swirling black-and-white vortex twisted within, beyond which lay an unseen world.

The disciples lined up and stepped forward in order, entering the vortex before the stone gate.