Enjoying the Gossip

Elder Chen said scornfully, "The Flowing Cloud Sect has ten peaks in all. When it comes to disciple contributions, your Ethereal Peak ranks dead last every time. Contribute less, and naturally you get less."

The disciple contributions he spoke of were the contribution points disciples earned by completing sect missions. Since Ethereal Peak had fewer disciples, it ranked last in sect contributions every time.

"According to sect rules, monthly allowances can be issued as long as the monthly contribution quota is met. What does ranking have to do with it?" Ning Shuang frowned. She supervised the disciples' completion of missions every month, and they had never fallen short of contribution points. This man clearly saw that Ethereal Peak was weak and the Immortal Venerable was in seclusion, so he was finding every possible way to target them.

As an elder within a peak, her standing was below Elder Chen's, and the sect master relied heavily on him. Even if she reported this to the sect master, with this man's slick tongue, the sect master would at most reprimand him a little, and afterward he would make things even more difficult.

Ning Shuang detested him, but there was little she could do about him.

Elder Chen said snidely, "True Lord Ning, not to criticize, but although Immortal Venerable Wanghan's sword shakes the world, his eye for disciples really leaves much to be desired. Apart from Shen Ji, the rest of his disciples are simply..."

He shook his head repeatedly. "If you had even one decent personal disciple doing missions, would you have to worry about insufficient contribution points? I heard there's one called Qiaoqiao who still hasn't reached Foundation Establishment after ten years! Ten years! Even a pig should have reached Foundation Establishment by then!"

Something suddenly occurred to him, and he looked at Qiaoqiao behind Ning Shuang. Qi Refining cultivation, and her age matched too. He narrowed his eyes. "So you're that trash disciple, Qiaoqiao."

Ning Shuang's expression chilled. "Elder Chen, whatever Ethereal Peak's disciples may be like, it isn't your place to comment."

[Exactly, exactly,] Qiaoqiao chimed in inwardly. [I might not have reached Foundation Establishment, but I'm not going bald either!]

[Looking like that, how do you have the nerve to call someone a pig?]

Looking at Elder Chen's sparse hair and his belly rounded with rich living, Ning Shuang couldn't help stifling a laugh.

She was about to speak when Qiaoqiao's inner voice rang out.

[Ah! I remember! I saw Elder Chen in my dream! Let me think back...]

[He's got gossip!]

[Tsk, tsk, and it's a big juicy melon!]

Ning Shuang's interest stirred. After that business with the demonic woman, the mention of enjoying gossip really perked her up!

Go on, tell me! What gossip does this loathsome Elder Chen have?

Chapter 6: Enjoying the Gossip

While Ning Shuang was waiting for the gossip, Shen Ji and Xiao Tingyu arrived together. They had only just reached the doorway when they heard Qiaoqiao say there was gossip, and hurried inside.

[Huh? Didn't Eldest Senior Brother go to receive his punishment?]

[Could he have hurried over especially because he wanted to enjoy Elder Chen's gossip too?]

Shen Ji: Actually, I really am a little curious...

Only Elder Chen, who knew nothing, kept blathering. "Who doesn't know that among the ten peaks, you sword cultivators of Ethereal Peak are the poorest and weakest? I heard Shen Ji has worn the same sect uniform for ten years. Even a dog would shake its head at the sight!"

Qiaoqiao and Xiao Tingyu turned to look at Shen Ji in unison. Looking embarrassed, Shen Ji tucked the patch on his sleeve out of sight behind him.

The entire Cultivation World knew sword cultivators were poor. Wasn't it only natural for sword cultivators to be poor?

Qiaoqiao: [Senior Brother is actually this poor? Is he just like the storybooks say, keeping his sword like a wife?]

Thinking of it that way, her decision not to ask her master for a sword had been absolutely right. She could barely support herself now. Where would she get the Spirit Stones to support a sword-wife?

"What business is it of yours how Ethereal Peak's disciples are?" Ning Shuang interrupted.

Just what gossip is there about Elder Chen? Why did Qiaoqiao stop halfway through? Is she trying to drive me to death with impatience?

Then she heard Qiaoqiao mutter inwardly, [How should I tell Elder Ning that the Spirit Stones Elder Chen withholds from the disciples all go into his own pocket? And that he's hidden all these Spirit Stones away? In a secluded cave near Hidden Plum Peak. Over a hundred

years,

he's embezzled a full eighty million Spirit Stones. He's practically filled the cave up!]

Elder Ning: !!!

Senior Brother and Senior Sister: !!!

How much?

How much did you say?

Elder Ning drew a deep breath and nearly failed to catch it.

Eighty million!

Good grief, this old bastard really knows how to line his pockets!

So all the withheld Spirit Stones had gone into his own pockets! He hadn't just withheld them from Ethereal Peak; he hadn't spared the other peaks either, and he had been embezzling for a full hundred years!

The look she gave Elder Chen changed. This old bastard was a great woodworm gnawing away at the Flowing Cloud Sect!

Eldest Senior Brother's gaze toward Elder Chen also took on contempt. Ethereal Peak's disciples scrimped on food and clothing, and he couldn't bear to replace his one sect uniform, all to keep this old bastard feasting and drinking in luxury. Utterly shameless!

Qiaoqiao was still trying hard to recall what had happened in her dream.

[Elder Chen loves Spirit Stones more than anything. Not only does he insist on sleeping on a Spirit Stone bed made of Spirit Stones, he even bathes in Spirit Stones. He also says he likes having the scent of Spirit Stones all over him.]

Elder Ning: Money-grubbing wretch!

Xiao Tingyu: Tsk, tsk, why hasn't he drowned in them?

[Apart from Spirit Stones, what Elder Chen treasures most is his hair. To grow a few more strands, he's sought out all sorts of secret hair-growth remedies. Recently, an Alchemist told him that applying raw garlic juice cellar-aged for three hundred years, mixed with swamp eel slime, to his hair could make it grow...]

Elder Chen was short and fat, with stubby limbs and a greasy face full of wrinkles. Perhaps from scheming too much, he had little hair left either. The crown of his head was strikingly bare, and his few remaining strands clung to his forehead, greasy enough to look unwashed for thirty days.

Ning Shuang: Ugh.

No wonder she had been smelling something strange all this time. So it was the smell of three-hundred-year-old garlic juice!

She shot backward, chair and all, swiftly putting thirty feet between them. Shen Ji and Xiao Tingyu also felt somewhat nauseated after hearing that, and retreated several steps with her!

Elder Chen: ?

Was there something wrong with these people from Ethereal Peak? From elder to disciples, they all seemed strange.

His gaze landed behind Ning Shuang, on that Qi Refining disciple Qiaoqiao. Her almond-shaped eyes were round as she stared curiously at his... crown.

Elder Chen fussed with his precious hair, his face darkening further. "What are you looking at? This elder has yet to settle accounts with you over what happened earlier!"