The Sect Tournament

"All right, since everything has been cleared up, everyone can leave!"

"Elder Li, since you've taken someone as your disciple, you must teach her properly. Our Cloud Cliff Sect may not be a major sect, but we still have some standing within a hundred miles. Do you understand?"

Seeing Tang Que's stern expression, Li Shouyi immediately smiled. "Rest assured, Sect Master. I'll straighten out that unruly disciple as soon as we get back."

"Hurry up and thank the Sect Master."

He turned and barked at Su Wan'er.

Having no idea what she had done wrong, Su Wan'er could only meekly thank the Sect Master.

Then Li Shouyi dragged her away in a hurry.

After he left, the Sect Master addressed the elders in a low voice. "Gentlemen, Li Shouyi has been part of our sect for over a decade."

"Yet his cultivation is still at the Golden Core Realm. You all know that our Cloud Cliff Sect is only a small sect."

"We can't afford to support so many freeloaders."

His words made the eyes of everyone present light up.

There were only so many resources to go around. If there was one less person, wouldn't that extra share fall into their hands?

Shi Yaoqian, Chen Hui, and the others hurriedly smiled at Tang Que. "You're absolutely right, Sect Master. We also believe that Li Shouyi's presence is nothing but a waste of the sect's resources."

"Oh? Then what suggestions do you gentlemen have?"

Seeing the smiles on those sly old foxes' faces, Tang Que knew they must have understood his meaning.

Indeed, an elder's annual stipend amounted to several hundred thousand Spirit Stones. With Li Shouyi gone...

Where would those extra hundreds of thousands of Spirit Stones go?

Wouldn't that be up to them?

"Hehe, isn't that simple, Sect Master?"

"Isn't the sect's tournament for new disciples about to begin?"

"Just have his two disciples enter. Assign them strong opponents in the first round and eliminate them immediately. Then have someone spread rumors throughout the sect and drag his reputation through the mud. I refuse to believe he'll still have the nerve to stay here after that."

"I also think Elder Shi's plan is feasible."

Chen Hui, who had remained silent until then, also voiced his approval.

"Good. Since you both think this will work, I'll leave the arrangements to you."

"I hope Li Shouyi comes to understand that the cultivation world is simply this cold and merciless."

The two answered solemnly, "We shall obey your instructions, Sect Master."

Meanwhile, after bringing Su Wan'er back to his courtyard, Li Shouyi tugged on her ear. "You wicked disciple! Didn't I tell you to focus on comprehending the Magic Treasure I gave you?"

"Why did you go and make a wager with someone?"

Su Wan'er hurriedly protested, feeling wronged. "Master, I already told you! Yan Shang insulted you first. I only taught him a lesson because I couldn't swallow my anger."

Seeing her aggrieved expression, Li Shouyi said sternly, "Remember this, you wicked disciple. A cultivator should set their own heart right, not pursue personal gain."

"If I catch you gambling with someone again, I'll break your legs."

"As punishment, you are not to take a single step outside this courtyard."

"Yes, Master!"

Frightened by his stern face, Su Wan'er shrank back, looking extremely cautious.

After sending Su Wan'er away, Li Shouyi began studying the system, hoping to find some loophole to exploit. Taking in one ultimate good-for-nothing would raise him to the Nascent Soul Realm. That reward was simply too tempting!

Out in the courtyard, Su Wan'er felt rather wronged after being scolded again. She had clearly been standing up for her master, so why had he still scolded her?

"Yaaawn..."

Lin Shuishui emerged from her room with a yawn. She approached Su Wan'er with bleary eyes and asked, "Junior Sister, what's wrong?"

"Senior Sister, I got scolded again."

Seeing Su Wan'er's aggrieved expression, Lin Shuishui suddenly perked up a little. She looked at her seriously. "Junior Sister, what did you do this time?"

Then, pouting, Su Wan'er explained everything that had happened to Lin Shuishui.

After hearing her out, Lin Shuishui pondered for a moment before saying, "Junior Sister, I think Master was right. Think about it."

"Master must have faced enormous pressure to take us as his disciples."

"So we have to work even harder if we don't want to disappoint him."

Only then did Su Wan'er remember how nobody had thought well of Li Shouyi's decision when he first took her as his disciple.

"Hahaha, Elder Li took in a gambling addict."

"With Gambling Goddess Su's talent, she's practically no different from a mortal. I really don't know where Elder Li gets his confidence."

Those were the words the people present had spoken that day.

Every word was like an arrow shot into her heart, leaving her feeling suffocated whenever she remembered them.

Senior Sister is right. I can't disappoint Master.

At that thought, Su Wan'er suddenly felt that Li Shouyi's earlier words seemed to contain a certain resonance of the Dao.

A cultivator should set their own heart right, not pursue personal gain...

A moment later, Su Wan'er's eyes lit up.

She hurriedly exclaimed, "Senior Sister, I understand! I understand!"

"Mm, excellent. Hurry back and digest the insight you just gained!"

"Yes! Thank you, Senior Sister!"

With that, Su Wan'er dashed to the front of Li Shouyi's room and shouted, "Master, thank you for your teachings! Your disciple understands!"

Li Shouyi: ??

What on earth did you understand this time?

What did I say just now, again? How did this dimwitted disciple gain another insight?

By the time he opened his door and came out, Su Wan'er had already run into her own room.

All he saw was a sleepy-eyed Lin Shuishui.

"My eldest disciple, what did you just say to your junior sister?"

Li Shouyi walked around in front of Lin Shuishui to look at her, and his face immediately darkened.

Black lines practically covered his face. This troublesome disciple had fallen asleep standing up.

Can you believe it?

With no other choice, Li Shouyi picked Lin Shuishui up and carried her back to her room.

Carrying her in his arms inevitably brought their bodies into contact. Lin Shuishui's distinctive fragrance kept wafting into his nostrils, stirring a rush of heat within him.

Li Shouyi hurriedly recited the Great Compassion Mantra and the Heart-Cleansing Mantra in his mind, one after the other.

Then he fled Lin Shuishui's room in a hurry.

Once outside, he instinctively flexed his hand and murmured, "As expected of a cultivator. So soft."

Meanwhile, after returning to her room, Su Wan'er sat upright on her bed and began recalling what Li Shouyi had just told her.

"Master just said that one who pursues the Dao should set their own heart right, not pursue personal gain."

"In other words, Master wants me to remain true to my heart and not be tempted by petty benefits."

"Because only then can I resist the temptations of karma."

"Master, your disciple understands!"

"Your disciple finally understands your painstaking efforts."

Inside Su Wan'er's room, an eerie Yin-Yang Diagram appeared behind her, its black and white halves slowly rotating.

Then the Threads of Cause and Effect she had gathered over this period abruptly snapped and merged into the Yin-Yang Diagram behind her.

Boom...

The tremendous noise caught Li Shouyi's attention.

He looked toward the sound. Upon realizing it had come from Su Wan'er's room, he hurried to her door and shouted, "Su Wan'er, you wicked disciple! What the hell are you doing?"

As soon as he finished shouting, Su Wan'er's door exploded outward, sending wood chips flying everywhere. Startled, he hurriedly shielded his face with his hands.

He couldn't help it. He made his living with his looks, so it was an instinctive reaction.

When he lowered his hands, the sight of Su Wan'er standing in the doorway gave him a fright.

He swallowed, looking at Su Wan'er and the Yin-Yang Diagram still hovering behind her. "Disciple, what's going on here?"

"This is Myriad Laws Cannot Invade, the technique you just taught me, Master!"

Li Shouyi: ??

He froze. Young lady, watch what you're saying. When did I ever teach you that thing?

Just then, the system's notification voice slowly sounded.

"Congratulations! Your second disciple has advanced to foundation establishment and reached a new level in the Dao of Karma."

"Congratulations, host! Because of your disciple, the difficulty of your disciple recruitment has increased."

"Next time, host, you must recruit a good-for-nothing so rare that one appears only once in a hundred years to receive a reward."

"Congratulations, host! Your mission reward has been upgraded."

"Upon completing the mission, you will receive the following reward: your cultivation will advance directly to the nascent soul late stage, but you will be unable to 'raise your gun' for one month."

After hearing this, Li Shouyi swallowed, then glared at Su Wan'er through gritted teeth. "You wicked disciple! You've screwed me over again!"

Su Wan'er: ??