Finding a Way to Get Some Money

After learning about the situation from Senior Sister An, Ling Yunpo's mood grew heavy.

The matter itself wasn't complicated: this month, for some unknown reason, the Ministry of State had changed Qingluo Peak's monthly allowance from mid-grade spirit stones to low-grade spirit stones.

As currency, the two were basically equivalent.

However, as materials for the spirit gathering array, low-grade spirit stones were far inferior to mid-grade ones.

Therefore, An Zhisu took her sword to the Ministry of State to question why their monthly allowance was being cut in such a disguised manner.

As a result, she was challenged by Shi Shixiong from the Ministry of State on the grounds of offending them.

It should be explained here that the Shushan Shangqing Sect advocates for communication through swordsmanship. Those of the same cultivation level can challenge each other to spar.

If the challenged party wishes to refuse, they must pay spirit stones to the sect as a penalty.

As a reciprocal restriction, if the challenged party accidentally kills the challenger during the spar, they will not face any punishment.

An Zhisu was not prepared for this spar, as she had already cultivated to the Great Perfection of the Abode Transformation Stage, with one foot already crossing the threshold of the Golden Core realm. Truly, no one of the same level was her opponent.

Unexpectedly, during the spar, her opponent used some secret technique to forcibly elevate his cultivation, thus briefly possessing the strength of a "False Core." This allowed him to gravely wound the unprepared Senior Sister.

"Well done, Shi Ziming!" Ling Yunpo roared in anger. "To scheme against Senior Sister like this, I, Ling Yunpo, will never let this go!"

[Unbending Persona, Sync Value +1.]

"Shut up, A Jing! I was serious just now, not just trying to gain sync value!" Ling Yunpo gritted his teeth inwardly.

"Don't mind it, Junior Brother," An Zhisu shook her head. "Shi Ziming is already dead."

Ling Yunpo: ...

So, his opponent's "False Core" cultivation, a whole major realm above yours, could still be killed by you?

And this was without prior knowledge. If Senior Sister had been prepared, would she have emerged from this spar completely unscathed?

Incredible, Senior Sister! Your strength is just incredible!

"It's too easy for that scoundrel," Ling Yunpo sneered. "Otherwise, I would have drawn my three-foot sword and gone to his door to let Shi Ziming know my might!"

"He was at the Abode Transformation Stage, and you're at the Qi Refining Stage. How would you challenge him?" An Zhisu smiled and shook her head.

"Then I'll challenge his junior brothers!" Ling Yunpo said indignantly. "However he injured Senior Sister, I will repay it tenfold to his junior brothers... no, a hundredfold!"

"Well said," An Zhisu praised. "We Sword Immortals should have such spirit. To repay kindness with kindness and vengeance with vengeance; anyone who blocks our path, be they gods or demons, shall be cut down with a single sword!"

Saying this, she sighed softly again:

"But don't be too impulsive. After all, this monthly allowance issue ultimately cannot be resolved."

Ling Yunpo was also speechless.

The spar was one thing, but the monthly allowance was another.

The elder in charge of the Ministry of State was at the Nascent Soul Realm. Senior Sister An couldn't possibly go threaten him with her sword.

Even if this was initially Shi Ziming's own initiative, after Senior Sister An killed him, the Ministry of State would be even less likely to change the monthly allowance.

Otherwise, outsiders would think that An Zhisu had scared the Ministry of State into submission, forcing the elder to readjust the allowance. How could the Ministry of State maintain its standing in Shushan?

Wouldn't the supervising Nascent Soul elder lose face?

Thinking this, Ling Yunpo also felt it was unsolvable.

The problem was that his cheap master, Su Jian, was in seclusion and wouldn't come out!

Shushan wasn't without rules, but rules were ultimately not laws. When encountering various loopholes, one could only rely on the coordination of elders.

Now that Qingluo Peak had no elder, if they encountered villains who exploited loopholes, wouldn't they be like dough to be kneaded at will?

No wonder Senior Sister An was so ruthless in every spar. If she couldn't establish her authority, Qingluo Peak might not be able to hold on for a single day!

"Don't worry, Junior Brother," An Zhisu said with a smile. "Before Master went into seclusion, he left some wealth in the side room. I'll take it to the market outside and sell it for spirit stones. It won't delay our cultivation."

"Senior Sister, this is ultimately not a long-term solution," Ling Yunpo said softly.

"Yes, I will find a way," An Zhisu said seriously.

Speaking of cultivation, Ling Yunpo actually didn't lack spirit stones.

This was because Qiu Changtian from Kunlun, as the personal disciple of the Ziwei Sect Master and the Chief Disciple of this generation, received very abundant cultivation resources each month.

Of course, the spirit stones Qiu Changtian received from the Kunlun Sect had to be invested in the spirit gathering array at Golden Ridge and couldn't be given directly to Ling Yunpo, so Senior Sister An could rest assured.

Otherwise, if the junior brothers and sisters noticed that the number of spirit stones in the spirit gathering array was incorrect, there would be trouble.

"Speaking of which," the Kunlun Mirror suddenly said in his mind, "do you like this Senior Sister An?"

"Yes," Ling Yunpo admitted frankly. "My Senior Sister is beautiful, has a sweet disposition, is kind-hearted, and takes meticulous care of me. Isn't it normal for me to like Senior Sister?"

"Then what about Xu Yinglian?" the Kunlun Mirror asked after a moment of silence.

Ling Yunpo was also silent for a long time before he spoke:

"A Jing."

"What is it?"

"The sky is actually colorless. It didn't deceive you; your own eyes deceived themselves."

"...What do you mean?"

"The one who made the Dao Companion engagement with Xu Yinglian was Qiu Changtian of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect. What does that have to do with me, Ling Yunpo of Shushan?"

Kunlun Mirror: ...

It felt an urge to crack on the spot.

Ling Yunpo's expression remained unchanged as he continued:

"This world has no reality, nor does it have lies. There are only facts that plainly exist."

"However, everyone in this world mistakes only the 'facts' that are beneficial to them as reality and lives accordingly."

"Because if they don't, there's no other reason to survive."

"But in reality, for the countless beings who occupy more than half the world."

"The 'facts' that cannot be used to affirm oneself are all the truths."

"I am neither Qiu Changtian nor Ling Yunpo."

"I am the Savior, the Chosen One destined to gather all the Sky Mending Stone fragments and utterly destroy the Age of Dharma's End that is bound to come."

"Under such immense pressure, I must resort to any means necessary to pursue existence at a higher level."

"I will learn from all schools, master all methods, and leave everyone else behind."

"Until I stand completely above these nine heavens!"

The Kunlun Mirror was rendered speechless by his words.

Fine, cultivators are basically like this anyway. They pursue power residing within themselves. I can understand that.

"So, are you going back to Kunlun now?"

"Mm, let's reload." Ling Yunpo nodded.

[World Destruction Countdown: One Thousand Years.] [Please hurry to find the Sky Mending Stone.]

The Kunlun Mirror recited mechanically:

[Location 1: Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Jinling Cave Mansion.] [Character Identity: Qiu Changtian.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon template overlay, initiating spacetime traversal.]

On the stone bed of his own cave mansion, Qiu Changtian's eyes snapped open.

It was still nighttime outside, the time reset to after Qiu Changtian had finished studying the Daoist scriptures and returned from Yuxu Palace with Xu Yinglian.

Qiu Changtian stepped out of the cave mansion and looked at the vast Milky Way, the brilliant stars, and couldn't help but sigh.

The path of cultivation requires wealth, companions, methods, and a place. Without wealth, it's absolutely impossible.

...I should find a way to get some money for Ling Yunpo.

Using the opportunity to get money for Ling Yunpo as a catalyst, the great and glorious path of Chief Disciple Qiu began.