Extortion

Chapter 38: Shaking Down

"Sect Leader Senior Brother, since you know urine can cure the Blackening Disease, why didn't you allow them to spread the word? Many disciples in our Sect have Spirit Grain and Spirit Herbs afflicted with the Blackening Disease. Spreading the news earlier could minimize the losses," the elder in gray robes asked with some confusion after a slight hesitation.

"Junior Brother Li, haven't you ever considered why the Blackening Disease appeared in our Sect?" Zhou Tongtian said meaningfully.

"This... Sect Leader Senior Brother means that the Blackening Disease was deliberately created?" The elder in gray robes pondered for a moment and then understood.

"Otherwise, how could the Blackening Disease suddenly appear out of nowhere? This disease disappeared thousands of years ago. It's only mentioned briefly in the Classics. The Great Tang is neither too big nor too small, so how could the Blackening Disease appear in our Great Void Sect? As far as I know, it hasn't appeared anywhere else," Zhou Tongtian said with a dark expression.

"Then who could have done it! And what is their purpose?" the elder in gray robes asked, frowning.

"It doesn't matter who did it; what matters is their purpose. I'm worried they are using this incident to probe for the Ancestor Master's whereabouts. Do you remember the Chen Family tragedy hundreds of years ago? An Evil Cultivator at the Nascent Soul Realm learned that the Nascent Soul Cultivator of Chen Family Fort was not present and infiltrated the fort, slaughtering all thousands of Cultivators within. Therefore, all the Families and Sects attach great importance to protecting the whereabouts of their Ancestor Masters." As Zhou Tongtian spoke, a solemn expression appeared on his face.

"Then, according to your opinion, Senior Brother, what should we do?"

Zhou Tongtian pondered for a moment and said, "Junior Brother Li, you are skilled in Planting. Think of a way to mix something else into the urine to mask its scent. Then, I will issue a notice in the Ancestor Master's name, stating that this Spirit Liquid was researched by the Ancestor Master to cure the Blackening Disease."

"Mm, this method is excellent," the elder in gray robes nodded. He then seemed to remember something and continued, "Sect Leader Senior Brother, what about the mastermind behind this! Are we just going to let them go?"

"Hmph, how is that possible? I will send people to investigate secretly and find the culprit. We can report it to the Ancestor Master when he returns," Zhou Tongtian snorted coldly and said with a sneer.

The elder in gray robes nodded upon hearing this. After discussing the details with Zhou Tongtian, he left the Ancestral Master Hall.

After leaving the Ancestral Master Hall, the Man in Blue Robe took Shi Yue and arrived at the Deacon Hall on a Green Giant Eagle.

"Greetings, Hall Master Li."

"Good day, Hall Master Li."

"Greetings, Hall Master."

As the Man in Blue Robe entered the Deacon Hall, all the stewards greeted him with fawning expressions.

The Man in Blue Robe merely nodded in response.

"Junior Nephew Wang, allocate one thousand Contribution Points to Shi Yue," the Man in Blue Robe said to Steward Wang.

"Ah!" Steward Wang was slightly stunned, thinking he had misheard.

"What? Didn't you hear me? Allocate one thousand Contribution Points to Shi Yue. This is a direct order from the Sect Leader Martial Uncle. Do you intend to disobey?" the Man in Blue Robe said, his expression darkening and his brow furrowing.

"This disciple wouldn't dare, this disciple wouldn't dare," Steward Wang quickly explained. He then smiled at Shi Yue and said, "Junior Brother Shi, please present your Identity Token."

Shi Yue nodded, took out his Identity Token, and handed it over.

Steward Wang allocated one thousand Contribution Points to Shi Yue in front of the Man in Blue Robe.

"Alright, you're dismissed. Everyone get back to your work," the Man in Blue Robe said before walking into a side room.

Shi Yue put away his Identity Token, his face beaming, and turned to leave.

"Wait, Junior Brother Shi," Steward Wang called out to him.

"What? Steward Wang, this is the Sect Leader Martial Ancestor's order. You're not going to deduct five hundred Contribution Points from me, are you!" Shi Yue frowned, turned around, and said with some displeasure.

"Of course not. But I'd like to ask, did you see the Sect Leader Martial Ancestor?" Steward Wang asked cautiously, shaking his head.

"Yes, and Junior Ancestor Li too," Shi Yue nodded.

"What, Junior Ancestor Li as well? May I ask what the two Ancestor Masters said to you?" Steward Wang's expression changed, and he asked nervously.

"They didn't ask much, just why I was still at the fourth level of Qi Refining. You know, my parents were cultivators at the Core Formation stage back then, so it's normal for the Sect Leader Martial Ancestor and Junior Ancestor Li to ask a few questions." Shi Yue shook his head, his expression calm.

"Junior Brother Shi, I haven't treated you poorly all these years! Please don't say anything out of line in front of the two Ancestor Masters. The Spirit Stones you've deposited with me are all here, not a single one is missing. Please accept this Mid-grade Spirit Stone." Steward Wang was startled by this. He forced a smile and said ingratiatingly, then took out a Mid-grade Spirit Stone and handed it over.

If it were in the past, Steward Wang would never have been so polite to Shi Yue. However, the fact that two Core Formation Cultivators had met with Shi Yue gave Steward Wang the illusion that they were looking after Shi Yue out of respect for his parents. As a result, he not only dared not offend Shi Yue but also tried to curry favor with him.

"Deposited?" Shi Yue asked with a half-smile.

"Yes! Junior Brother Shi, I was merely keeping them safe for you. I never intended to use the Spirit Stones you deposited with me. Please put in a good word for me with the two Ancestor Masters," Steward Wang said with a fawning smile, nodding repeatedly.

"Is that so? But I remember the Spirit Stones I deposited with you were more than this," Shi Yue said with a half-smile.

It's foolish not to take advantage of a good deal, especially when I'm just getting my own things back.

"This senior brother forgot, he forgot. There's another one," Steward Wang quickly took out another Mid-grade Spirit Stone and handed it over, his face full of obsequious smiles, though a flicker of heartache flashed in his eyes.

"Mm, I'll try to put in a good word for you next time I meet with the Ancestor Masters," Shi Yue said, accepting the two Mid-grade Spirit Stones with satisfaction and promising.

"Thank you, Brother Shi," Steward Wang said, his face beaming with joy. He personally escorted Shi Yue out of the Deacon Hall.

"Shi Kid, I didn't realize you were so good at shaking people down," Xiaoyaozi's voice echoed in Shi Yue's mind as he flew on his artifact.

"What do you mean shaking people down? I'm just taking back what belongs to me," Shi Yue rolled his eyes and said dismissively.

"Hehe, Shi Kid, you've earned quite a few Spirit Stones today. Shouldn't you share some with me? I'm not asking for much, how about ten, no, five Spirit Stones?" Xiaoyaozi said somewhat ingratiatingly.

Shi Yue chuckled and ignored him.

Upon returning to Green Cloud Peak, a group of Qi Refining disciples surrounded him again.

The Sect Leader Martial Uncle had only forbidden him from revealing that urine could cure the Blackening Disease, but he hadn't forbidden him from helping fellow disciples treat their Spirit Herbs.

And so, Shi Yue began to get busy again, treating this senior brother's Spirit Herbs and that senior sister's Spirit Grain. Only when the urine in his gourd artifact ran out did Shi Yue use fatigue as an excuse to decline further requests and fly back to his residence on Azure Origin Peak.