"Venerable Jiaye, do you know how many Gold Essence Coins I have on me right now?"
Xu Taiping transmitted his voice to Venerable Jiaye in his mind.
Including the Gold Essence Coins he had taken from Liang Chengshan and Dong Qiushui after killing them that night, even after deducting those consumed by the three Ghost God portraits, Xu Taiping still had five One Million Gold Essence Coins left.
If the Ghost God portraits had not been limited to acting for him once a month, he could have kept the Ghost Lord, Old Smoky Ghost, and the others by his side.
Venerable Jiaye asked:
"How many?"
Xu Taiping answered:
"Four million."
He deliberately understated the amount.
Venerable Jiaye looked honest and kindly, but his belly was full of dirty tricks.
Venerable Jiaye exclaimed in surprise:
"Benefactor Taiping, you-you've struck it rich!"
The moment he heard Venerable Jiaye's tone, Xu Taiping felt reassured-the misfortune might be real, but it certainly was not as serious as he claimed.
Venerable Jiaye likewise realized he had lost his composure, so he adjusted his tone and continued very solemnly:
"Benefactor Taiping, while it won't take as much as four One Million Gold Essence Coins, dispelling the calamity you are about to face will still require three One Million Gold Essence Coins."
Xu Taiping raised his teacup and took a sip.
He glanced at the Pearl Relic House Master, the Azure-Eyed Evil Lord, and Cloud Crane True Lord before him. Finding that they were still arguing over how to enter the Golden Court Grotto-Heaven, he again asked Venerable Jiaye inwardly without betraying anything:
"Venerable Jiaye, tell me exactly what this calamity you speak of is."
"If it truly is necessary, forget three One Million Gold Essence Coins—even if it takes thirty One Million Gold Essence Coins, I'll