"Fine! I'll borrow!" Shen Fan said through gritted teeth.
"That's more like it!" The steward disciple exclaimed in delight, hurriedly asking, "How much? Fifty?"
"Yes! Fifty!"
"Got it!" The steward disciple had another person perform a series of operations, and a spirit contract appeared before them.
"Junior Brother, sign and leave your mark. I'll count out the spirit stones for you right away!"
As he spoke, he pulled open a drawer, took out a cloth pouch, and removed fifty spirit stones from it before handing them over.
Shen Fan examined them closely, afraid there might be some trap hidden in the contract.
Yet the contents really were exactly as the steward disciple had said. New disciples paid no interest during their first month, and the full loan amount was disbursed—not the usual nine out, thirteen back arrangement.
But if payment was overdue by one month, interest equal to twenty percent of the principal would be charged.
Shen Fan's mouth twitched secretly. With interest like that, no wonder they ran a lending business!
Holding the spirit stones, Shen Fan followed the steward disciple out the door.
"Junior Brother, rest assured. Our Heaven and Earth Society is absolutely reliable. Our leader is Bai Qianyu, a Core Disciple of the inner sect!"
"Heavenly Xuan Sect disciples can form factions?" Shen Fan asked in surprise.
"Of course! It's meant to stimulate the disciples' initiative and competitive spirit. Our Heaven and Earth Society is one of the top three organizations within Heavenly Xuan Sect!" the steward disciple said proudly.
But wasn't Bai Qianyu the very man who wanted to kill him?
At that thought, Shen Fan's gaze immediately darkened.
Afterward, Shen Fan followed the steward disciple to collect a set of talisman equipment, then was assigned to a senior brother to begin learning the fundamentals of talismans.
It had to be said that being guided into the field by a professional teacher was indeed far more efficient than painstakingly studying alone.
As the sun set at dusk, Shen Fan finished his day of study.
He then left Talisman Peak and prepared to return to the Waste Elixir Chamber. But as Shen Fan passed through the outer sect's Dao Inquiry Plaza, he heard disciples coming and going discussing matters animatedly.
"I never thought Heavenly Xuan Sect would be this dangerous!"
"So many rogue cultivators and evil cultivators—there isn't a single decent person in that market!"
"My heavens, there were so many people storming the execution ground! It was a dense sea of people, at least several hundred!"
"Exactly! Icefire Sect raised the bounty to a million. Even more than a dozen of our Law Enforcement disciples and Outer Sect Disciples betrayed us, let alone those other rogue cultivators and evil cultivators!"
"What shocked me most was that people from the Nine Nether Corpse Puppet Sect were among them too. Didn't you see those densely packed corpse puppets? There were over a hundred of them, charging in like a tide blotting out the sky and covering the earth, heedless of death! Dozens of our Outer Sect Disciples died!"
"The Nine Nether Corpse Puppet Sect is rising from the ashes. That's no good news. The Four Great Immortal Sects are already on tense terms now; we absolutely cannot give the Nine Nether Corpse Puppet Sect a chance to slip in through the cracks!"
"But fortunately, they caught an old man from the Nine Nether Corpse Puppet Sect. I heard that old man was one of the leaders responsible for monitoring our Heavenly Xuan Sect!"
Hearing this, Shen Fan's heart skipped a beat.
Nine Nether Corpse Puppet Sect?
An old man?
Could it be Old Man Duan?
At that thought, Shen Fan immediately stepped forward to inquire.
"Senior Brothers, did something happen? This junior brother was studying on Talisman Peak today. Did I miss something?"
As Shen Fan spoke, he hurriedly offered them each a refreshing smoke.
This thing was made by drying Cleansing Heart Grass, rolling it in paper, and lighting it. Inhaling it through the mouth could refresh the mind and clear the head, making it greatly beneficial to cultivation.
One did not slap a smiling face, much less one that came bearing refreshing smokes.
The few men immediately smiled in satisfaction, lighting them with enjoyment before launching into an endless account for Shen Fan.
"Junior Brother, it really is a pity you weren't there! Icefire Sect put up a bounty of one million spirit stones, and countless people swarmed over. Even Outer Sect Disciples from our Heavenly Xuan Sect and several Law Enforcement disciples betrayed us and went to storm the execution ground!"
"..."
The group spoke over one another, recounting everything that had happened today to Shen Fan in full detail.
"Was the Icefire Sect traitor taken away?" Shen Fan asked tensely.
"How could that be possible!"
One person said smugly.
"You have no idea—this was Enforcement Elder Mu Xingtian's plan to lure the snake from its hole. He used the undercover agent as bait, all to capture the murderer who killed Li Qingshan and five other Outer Sect Disciples a few days ago."
"This time, they caught not only all those rogue cultivators, but also people from the Nine Nether Corpse Puppet Sect and Icefire Sect—more than three hundred in total!"
Shen Fan pretended to be worried as he asked, "Ah? There were people from the Nine Nether Corpse Puppet Sect too? Wasn't that a demonic sect suppressed more than three hundred years ago? Why have they come out to harm people again?"
"Isn't that so?"
Shen Fan continued, "Then do you know what the people of the Nine Nether Corpse Puppet Sect look like? I've never seen an evil cultivator in all my life!"
"Don't mention it. Just some decrepit old man. I heard he used to be a Miscellaneous Disciple of our Heavenly Xuan Sect, and that he once killed the manager of the Spirit Field. They say the matter even alarmed Elder Mu back then!"
Hearing this, Shen Fan's heart skipped another beat.
An old man, a Miscellaneous Disciple, the Nine Nether Corpse Puppet Sect.
Every clue matched!
It was nailed down!
It was Old Man Duan!
At that thought, Shen Fan became as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
He had seen the methods of the Law Enforcement Hall for himself.
Old Man Duan did not possess the Treasure Gathering Universe Bowl's ability to conceal divine sense!
When the time came, Shen Fan would definitely be exposed!
"No! I have to leave now!"
With that thought, Shen Fan put on an easygoing act and prepared to leave.
Just then.
Several Outer Sect Disciples in the distance hurried toward the Law Enforcement Hall.
The people talking with Shen Fan immediately stopped them and asked, "Where are you heading?"
"Too many rogue cultivators were captured. The Law Enforcement Hall has issued a task seeking Outer Sect Disciples to help guard them. Fifty Contribution Points a day!"
"Count me in!"
"I'm going too!"
Seeing this, Shen Fan immediately followed those people to accept the task, then rushed toward the Law Enforcement Hall.
The Law Enforcement Hall had its own mountain peak, with its dungeon built halfway up the mountain. At this moment, discipline was strict; no one but Law Enforcement disciples and support disciples could enter or leave.
Having accepted the task, Shen Fan smoothly slipped inside.
The dungeon halfway up the mountain was already packed to bursting.
Shen Fan obeyed the arrangements and watched over two captured rogue cultivators.
At the same time, he took the chance to search for where Old Man Duan was imprisoned.
Deep into the night, the interrogations continued.
Taking advantage of the shift change, Shen Fan immediately headed deeper into the dungeon.
Old Man Duan was from the Nine Nether Corpse Puppet Sect, so he would certainly be under heavy guard.
With Old Man Duan captured, escaping was only the inferior plan.
If Shen Fan wanted to remain in Heavenly Xuan Sect, Old Man Duan could only keep his mouth shut forever.
At that thought, a frigid killing intent surged in Shen Fan's heart.
Finally.
In a dark cell deep within the dungeon, Shen Fan found Old Man Duan, his hair disheveled.
"Brother, want a refreshing smoke?"
After Shen Fan sent away the guarding Law Enforcement disciple, he looked around and, seeing no one nearby, knocked on the iron door of the cell.
Knock, knock, knock!
Old Man Duan raised his head blankly and looked over.
In the darkness, he saw a familiar silhouette, then approached half-believing and half-doubting.
"You..."
The moment Old Man Duan saw Shen Fan, his eyes widened.
Before you continue