What We Take Isn't Money, It's Loyalty!

Chu Xinghe didn't know whether Ma Liang had dealt a severe blow to the Heavenly Martial Sect.

All Chu Xinghe knew was, "Ma Liang, that stab you gave me, your Senior Brother Xinghe, almost gave me a heart attack..."

It wasn't a fake stitch... it was a real stitch; Chu Xinghe was so angry that he actually stitched his own stomach.

There's no need to discuss whether Ma Liang is sick; his mind is simply not that of a normal person.

If Ma Liang is sick, is your Heavenly Martial Sect also sick?

Can't you believe a single word I, Chu Xinghe, just said?

What happened to the trust between people? Is my word, Chu Xinghe, so unreliable?

When I said I'd return the money, you were so scared you almost wet your pants. Ma Liang said he'd make you bleed profusely, and look how agitated you all are...

This is an illness of yours, it needs treatment!

Then Lucky General Ma gave Heavenly Martial Sect a stern warning, essentially saying, "Today, my Senior Brother Xinghe is giving Heavenly Martial Sect a chance. I advise you to be Heavenly Martial Sect and not to be ungrateful..."

Don't think that just because I, Senior Brother Xinghe, have a good temper, you can do whatever you want. Senior Brother Xinghe is just too lazy to bother with the petty things you've done.

Senior Brother Xinghe is a kind and righteous person, willing to give your Heavenly Martial Sect a chance. If I, Ma Liang, were to do this, your Heavenly Martial Sect would have been kicked out long ago!

Upon hearing Ma Liang's warning, Zhao She, the sect leader of the Heavenly Martial Sect, and all the elders of the Heavenly Martial Sect broke out in a cold sweat.

Over the years, Heavenly Martial Sect has relied on the backing of the Vast Heaven Sect to acquire various resources, and it is through this that Heavenly Martial Sect has gradually become stronger.

Their Heavenly Martial Sect has indeed done many shady things in secret. What Zhao She just said is only what can be said; there are many more things that cannot be said.

Zhao She had always thought that the Vast Heaven Sect might not have paid any attention, but Chu Xinghe's arrival today made Zhao She realize that his little schemes were really nothing in front of the Vast Heaven Sect.

It's not that the Vast Heaven Sect didn't know; it's that the Vast Heaven Sect was giving itself an opportunity.

Who is Chu Xinghe? Although I heard a while ago that Chu Xinghe was stripped of his status as the Grand Elder's personal disciple and is now just an elite inner disciple of the Vast Heaven Sect.

However, as a vassal sect of the Vast Heaven Sect, Zhao She, the Heavenly Martial Sect, was constantly monitoring all of the Vast Heaven Sect's actions.

When Chu Xinghe was about to fall out of favor.

In Zhao She's view, only an idiot would think that.

Can Chu Xinghe's status in the Vast Heaven Sect be represented by a mere empty title?

Chu Xinghe's visit to the Heavenly Martial Sect this time represents the entire Vast Heaven Sect. Zhao She was glad that he was clever enough.

Your purpose in coming here Chu Xinghe, is not to repay the money at all; you've come to put pressure on our Heavenly Martial Sect.

Having traveled all over the country for so many years, do you think I, Zhao She, wouldn't understand this?

You, Chu Xinghe, are the Future master of the Vast Heaven Sect, so you get to say all the good things while leaving the bad stuff to Ma Liang, right?

I know this routine very well!

However, Zhao She also lamented that from now on, not only would Chu Xinghe be someone they couldn't afford to offend, but Ma Liang would be just as unapproachable.

Previously, it was rumored that Ma Liang was Chu Xinghe's most trusted confidant, and Zhao She had some doubts about it. But seeing the two of them working together so seamlessly today, Zhao She knew that the rumors were true.

Ma Liang was indeed Chu Xinghe's most trusted confidant. With just a glance from Chu Xinghe, Ma Liang knew exactly what to say and do...

Afterwards, the Heavenly Martial Sect arranged a grand banquet to warmly welcome Chu Xinghe and Ma Liang.

Chu Xinghe left Heavenly Martial Sect with tears in his eyes.

As soon as he stepped out of the Heavenly Martial Sect gate, Ma Liang said that he had disappointed Senior Brother Xinghe.

"I, Ma Liang, was completely inexperienced this time. I even needed Senior Brother Xinghe to keep giving me signals before I knew what to do... I was terribly wrong. Please rest assured, Senior Brother Xinghe, I will definitely correct this mistake next time."

To Ma Liang's eagerness to admit his mistake, Chu Xinghe could only say, "Have you ever heard of the Purple Lightning Flash?"

Can you, Ma Liang, shut up a bit? Besides, we are the number one sect in the world. We came here to pay off a debt, not to threaten them into giving us an extra 20%. What kind of face do we have with you talking like that?

Upon hearing Senior Brother Xinghe's words, Ma Liang was first taken aback, then suddenly realized what he meant.

Just now, I, Ma Liang, thought I fully understood what Senior Brother Xinghe meant, but now I realize that Senior Brother Xinghe is unfathomable. It turns out that I only understood a part of it.

Senior Brother Xinghe's instruction for me to say less meant that I had been rambling on too much. There was absolutely no need for me to be so polite with the Heavenly Martial Sect for so long; I should have gotten straight to the point.

As for what Senior Brother Xinghe said about threatening them, I, Ma Liang, did indeed do something inappropriate. After all, I represent the Vast Heaven Sect. Although what the Heavenly Martial Sect did was very unethical, it wouldn't sound good if I offered to give them an extra 20%.

So I still have a lot of room for improvement!

Then Ma Liang showed Chu Xinghe what rapid progress truly meant.

When Chu Xinghe brought Ma Liang to the second Moon Shadow Sect, Chu Xinghe had just stated that the Vast Heaven Sect had come to repay the debt, and before the Moon Shadow Sect members could panic, Ma Liang spoke up.

Ma Liang said, "We just came from the Heavenly Martial Sect. They did some really shameful things, and they should have been expelled from the Vast Heaven Sect's vassal sects. But the Heavenly Martial Sect wants to give up an extra 20% to make up for their past mistakes. Can they really make up for their mistakes with just an extra 20%?"

Do you think my Vast Heaven Sect cares about their paltry sums?

In other words, my Senior Brother Xinghe is benevolent and couldn't bear to see the Heavenly Martial Sect decline, so he gave the Heavenly Martial Sect a chance. As for what will happen in the future, that depends on the performance of the Heavenly Martial Sect.

Um... surely your Moon Shadow Sect hasn't been doing anything shady behind our Vast Heaven Sect's back, right?

So please rest assured and accept our Vast Heaven Sect's repayment!

Upon hearing Ma Liang's words, the Moon Shadow Sect almost burst into tears on the spot.

Who doesn't have some shady dealings? The Moon Shadow Sect used to think that the Vast Heaven Sect wouldn't find out what they were doing, but after hearing Ma Liang's words, the Moon Shadow Sect realized that it wasn't that the Vast Heaven Sect didn't know, but that the Vast Heaven Sect had simply chosen not to stoop to their level and didn't want to expose them.

Upon hearing Ma Liang's words, the Moon Shadow Sect immediately declared, "Our Moon Shadow Sect is utterly loyal to the Vast Heaven Sect. We would never do anything underhanded. Therefore, to demonstrate our loyalty, our Moon Shadow Sect is willing to contribute an additional 20%!"

Ma Liang was quite satisfied with the Moon Shadow Sect's sensible behavior.

Ma Liang agreed with Senior Brother Xinghe, saying that they were both adults.

There's no need to be so explicit. Back at the Heavenly Martial Sect, you spoke without thinking. If word got out that you offered to increase the Heavenly Martial Sect's contribution by 20%, what would become of the Vast Heaven Sect's reputation?

Even if only 20% of the shady things these vassal sects do in private were considered merciful by the Vast Heaven Sect.

Those who don't know the situation might think that my Vast Heaven Sect is bullying them.

Now, with Senior Brother Xinghe's guidance, everything is perfect.

Look at the Moon Shadow Sect. They're grateful for the kindness of my Vast Heaven Sect, and they readily pledge their loyalty at the slightest disagreement. Although my Vast Heaven Sect doesn't care about the meager gains from the Moon Shadow Sect, loyalty is priceless. Do we, the Vast Heaven Sect, only take 20% of the revenue?

What we're gaining is the loyalty of the Moon Shadow Sect!

Chu Xinghe n't care about the loyalty of the Moon Shadow Sect; all he knew was that Ma Liang was truly his most trusted confidant...

Did I mean for you to say less?

Did I tell you to be so blunt and insult people without even being polite?

And what I meant by asking for 20% was that it affected the sect's reputation; we could completely give up everything and simply come to pay back the money...

Did I tell you to use this method to subtly hint at things to people at the slightest disagreement?

You may be shameless, but I, Senior Brother Xinghe, still have some shame... We came out here to repay the resources that the Vast Heaven Sect owes them, okay?

Am I here to deal with vassal sects?

If these vassal sects were to embezzle even a little more, it would be a loss for my Vast Heaven Sect... They are all huge help to my progress, Senior Brother Xinghe.

You just cut off all those support resources without a second thought? Did you even consider what Senior Brother Xinghe would think?

I can't possibly pay back even a fraction of this debt...

If this continues, not to mention the strain on the sect, the revenue from that 20% increase alone will exceed the debt itself, okay?

He had initially thought that these debts with clear owners would be the easiest to repay, but now Chu Xinghe realized he had been too naive.

I really can't repay the money owed to these vassal sects; if I keep doing it, my heart probably won't be able to take it.

So we need to start from other angles... start with the debts owed by those sects that are not vassals of my Vast Heaven Sect. Those vassal sects are afraid that the Vast Heaven Sect's repayment is a way to kick them out, so they dare not accept it. What's so scary about those who are not vassals of my Vast Heaven Sect?

Let's start with them!

Chu Xinghe waved his hand, "This repayment by the vassal sects is now concluded. Let's return to the Vast Heaven Sect..."

Ma Liang was completely baffled... What was Senior Brother Xinghe up to?

Didn't we agree to give those vassal sects a warning... cough cough... to repay their debts? How come it's over after only visiting two places?

There are many more!

Those remaining vassal sects are probably not entirely clean either, so why is Senior Brother Xinghe ending things now?

But soon, the day after Ma Liang returned to the Vast Heaven Sect with Senior Brother Xinghe, strange things began to happen...

The leaders of almost all the vassal sects of the Vast Heaven Sect, such as Azure Cloud Sect, Vast Righteousness Gate, Mountain and River Sect, and Ten Thousand Seas Sect, came to the Vast Heaven Sect.

Then, these sect leaders expressed their loyalty to the Vast Heaven Sect without any further discussion.

Their way of showing loyalty is very simple and straightforward.

They were all willing to give up 20% of their annual revenue to express their utmost loyalty to the Vast Heaven Sect.

When so many leaders of vassal sects pledged their loyalty at the drop of a hat, Ma Liang Liangren was dumbfounded.

At this moment, Ma Liang finally understood that the gap between him and Senior Brother Xinghe had not narrowed because of his progress, but rather widened little by little.

Senior Brother Xinghe n't want to end things at all; rather, he had already foreseen everything that was going to happen today.

There's absolutely no need to visit every single vassal sect as you might think.

The incidents involving the Moon Shadow Sect and the Heavenly Martial Sect have served as an excellent example to deter others. Even if none of the other vassal sects go afterward, those sects with guilty consciences will naturally come knocking.

Moreover, Senior Brother Xinghe's greatest brilliance lies in the fact that by doing this, any vassal forces that come to his door are seen as having something to hide, while those who remain inactive are seen as innocent.

Senior Brother Xinghe's skill in distinguishing right from wrong in an instant is truly unparalleled!