Chapter 139: A Dazzling Contest of Treasures and Destinies

For access to 10 chapter daily, subscribe my Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/caleredhair

Being stared at like that by Qin Haoxuan, Xing instantly understood that this was the Taichu Sect’s territory. Eating Zhang Yang might not be a problem, but escaping afterward… that was a problem he likely couldn’t solve.

“Is there a need to look at me like I’m an idiot? This seat knows what’s important…” Xing muttered. He then turned and ran towards Zhang Yang, his face instantly transforming into a fawning smile. “Boss! It’s so great to see you! I was hoping to find you in the manor, but it was just too big, and I had no idea where you were seeking your great destiny!”

Seeing that it was Hua Lao, his most pleasing underling, Zhang Yang also smiled faintly and said with an air of superiority, “The places I go are naturally not places you would know of. Well, what did you manage to find?”

Xing spread his hands and said with a miserable expression, “Boss, you know my aptitude and my luck. I didn’t run into you in the manor, so I just wandered around aimlessly. The place was crawling with those damned Nether-Souls and Nether-Creatures from the Netherworld. I was so scared I just ran and hid, and barely managed to survive until the manor closed. The only reason I didn’t die in their claws was because I was thinking about how I had to continue to serve you, Boss. It was this belief alone that allowed me to survive.”

Anyone could tell that this flattery was completely unreliable, but Xing was an absolute master of the art. When he was bootlicking, his tone, his posture, and his body language were all perfectly coordinated. His words made Zhang Yang feel as light as a feather, every pore on his body tingling with pleasure as if he had just eaten a ginseng fruit. Qin Haoxuan, watching from the side, was filled with admiration. To be able to take such vulgar flattery and elevate it to the level of a refined art… it would be impossible to believe he wasn’t a genius.

“Your aptitude and luck are indeed a bit lacking. But this year’s Aqueous Manor was extremely dangerous; for you to survive with your strength at the Rooting stage is truly not easy. It’s alright. Serve me well in the future, and I will not treat you poorly,” Zhang Yang said, patting Xing’s shoulder condescendingly.

Xing put on an expression of utter delight and thanked him profusely. In his heart, however, he desperately wanted to crush this arrogant fool who was even more pretentious than he was. Just the Fourth-Leaf of the Spirit Sprout Realm? And he dares to put on airs in front of me? If not for the need to conceal his identity and avoid being beaten to a pulp by so many cultivators, he would have swallowed the kid whole.

The Ninth Elder stood on high and surveyed the scene. Seeing that the white flashes of light had stopped, he did a quick count. Of the three thousand disciples who had entered the Aqueous Manor, only two thousand two or three hundred had returned alive. This meant that a full seven to eight hundred disciples had lost their lives inside.

The faces of the returning disciples showed a myriad of emotions. Some were terrified, while others were filled with heroic excitement. Most had tattered clothes, stained with the red and green blood of their companions or the Nether-race. Many were seriously injured, with shocking wounds still bleeding freely.

The Ninth Elder’s face was ashen as he spoke. “There were some accidents during this year’s trial in the Aqueous Manor. But this has also allowed you to deeply experience the mercilessness of the immortal path. If you want to get ahead, you must pay the price in blood, and even your life. Now, form three lines and, one by one, hand over the treasures you obtained in the manor to the sect. The elders will award you Aqueous Manor Contribution Points based on what you turn in. No matter what you have obtained, remember not to hide anything. Once discovered, you will be expelled from the sect!”

In previous years, when the manor was safe, no one had minded turning in their findings for Contribution Points. But this year was different. Every single treasure found had been obtained at the risk of one’s life. They not only had to guard against their covetous fellow disciples but also the Nether-race, who coveted both their treasures and their flesh. It was no exaggeration to say that these items had been paid for with their lives.

Although no one was willing to hand over what they had earned with their lives, no one dared to defy the will of the sect. The disciples did as they were told, forming three long lines to turn in their gains.

At the head of each line were several elders in charge of collection. Two were responsible for inspecting the disciples for any hidden items, one was responsible for documentation, and three others were responsible for appraising the submitted items. The Ninth Elder stood behind them all, his face grim and silent.

The senior disciples obediently handed over what they had found. Though they were reluctant, they had no choice.

Aqueous Manor Contribution Points could be exchanged not only for spirit stones but also for precious spiritual medicine seeds, spiritual medicines, and valuable spiritual arts. By the sect’s long-standing rules, one drop of Spirit Liquid could be exchanged for ten Contribution Points. As for what a single point could be exchanged for this year, that would depend on the mood of the Sect Master and the Elder’s Council.

A senior disciple with a full seed, at the Twentieth-Leaf, handed over a palm-sized Blood Coral. The appraising elders weighed it, conferred for a moment, and then announced, “Wang Xiao, for contributing one Blood Coral, weighing one tael, is awarded five Aqueous Manor Contribution Points!”

A murmur went through the crowd. That Blood Coral was worth five points, equivalent to half a drop of Spirit Liquid. It was a huge gain.

A few more disciples passed, having found nothing of value. Soon, it was Zhang Yang’s turn.

He stood proudly in his place, holding the special jade vial the sect had issued for collecting Spirit Liquid. The older disciples looked on with envy.

“Do you think that’s Spirit Liquid he’s holding?”

“I think it might be. Why else would he take out that bottle?”

“Aigh, isn’t Zhang Yang just a Gray Seed? If a Gray Seed can obtain Spirit Liquid, what kind of treasures will the three Unsurpassed Purple Seeds have obtained?”

“It’s too early to say. Let’s just wait and see what he turns in.”

As the others watched with anticipation, Zhang Yang respectfully handed over the jade vial.

An elder took the vial, and his expression immediately changed. He exchanged a joyful look with the other two appraisers. Even the Ninth Elder, who had been lost in thought, cast his gaze over, clearly expectant.

The elder opened the cap, and a rich spiritual energy wafted out. He became visibly excited. The other two elders asked, “How many drops?”

“Four drops!” the elder replied. He quickly sealed the vial and carefully carried it over to the Ninth Elder. “Ninth Elder, this is the Spirit Liquid collected by the new disciple, Zhang Yang. A full four drops!”

The Ninth Elder accepted it with great satisfaction and gave Zhang Yang a smile. “Very good,” he praised. “You are awarded forty Contribution Points. However, for a new disciple to have such a great fated encounter on his first trip to the manor, an additional ten Contribution Points will be awarded!”

The documenting elder loudly announced, “Zhang Yang, for contributing four drops of Spirit Liquid, is awarded forty Aqueous Manor Contribution Points! By special approval of the Ninth Elder, an additional ten points are awarded, for a total of fifty points!”

His voice, amplified by spiritual energy, boomed across the area. The two thousand-plus disciples heard it, and the crowd erupted. “Fifty points! At last year’s rates, that’s five hundred low-grade spirit stones!”

“To earn five hundred spirit stones from one trip to the manor…”

“A Gray Seed managed to get four drops. I wonder how many the three Purple Seeds will have.”

As Zhang Yang was basking in his glory, Xing, having somehow hidden his own items from the inspection, ran over. “Boss, you are truly amazing!” he gushed. “Four drops of Spirit Liquid right off the bat! You’ve made a great show in front of the elders and put so many of the senior disciples to shame! It makes me feel that following you was the best decision of my life.”

Zhang Yang, pleased, patted his shoulder. “Do a good job, and I won’t treat you poorly.”

Qin Haoxuan sighed to himself. Such liquid couldn’t be bought even for five thousand spirit stones; it was a key ingredient for life-extending medicine.

Just as Zhang Yang was feeling exceptionally pleased, a piercing voice cut through the air, hitting him like a slap in the face. “Murong Chao, for contributing twelve drops of Spirit Liquid, is awarded one hundred and twenty Aqueous Manor Contribution Points! By special approval of the Ninth Elder, an additional thirty Contribution Points are awarded!”

In the adjacent line, Murong Chao had handed over his vial, stunning the elders there. In previous years, even one or two drops was a heavenly haul. Zhang Yang’s four drops had already been a pleasant surprise for the Ninth Elder, but Murong Chao’s contribution was simply astonishing. Twelve drops! What incredible luck!

The Ninth Elder took the vial containing the twelve drops, his face wreathed in a joyful smile. He was extremely pleased. The two Gray Seed disciples who had entered this year had performed so outstandingly. He wondered, with great anticipation, what kind of results the three Purple Seeds would deliver.