Chapter 406

Chapter 406: The Embarrassed Sect Leader

Seeing Mo Qianxun yield, Fang Lie felt a flicker of pride. For years, whenever he faced injustice in the sect, he’d cursed Mo Qianxun’s name. Had the Sect Leader not failed his duties, Fang Lie and his siblings wouldn’t have suffered so bitterly.

Countless times, Fang Lie had lambasted Mo Qianxun in his dreams, a testament to his simmering resentment.

Today, that resentment finally found release.

But Fang Lie wasn’t finished. With a grin, he pressed, "Sect Leader, you can have the items—but surely someone of your stature won’t take them without compensation?"

"The sect will reward you," Mo Qianxun replied, then narrowed his eyes. "Do you have specific demands?"

"Indeed," Fang Lie said. "My family’s resources are meager. Bird Bro needs materials to forge a treasure from the Divine Marrow. Open the sect’s treasury and let me gather what’s required."

"Materials for one treasure fall within my authority," Mo Qianxun said, relieved by the seemingly reasonable request. "Show me the list."

Fang Lie promptly displayed Bird Bro’s list.

A single glance was enough. Mo Qianxun leaped from his chair, bellowing, "Fang Lie! This list could craft a dozen high-grade treasures! How dare you claim it’s for one? Do you take me for a fool?"

"Mind your words!" Fang Lie snapped. "This list came straight from Bird Bro. I swear on the Fang Family ancestors—not one item was added!"

Mo Qianxun paused. Fang Lie’s oath meant truth—but why such excess? "What treasure requires these materials?"

"An altar," Fang Lie answered. "Bird Bro says ancient great ones favored them, though they’ve since vanished. True?"

Mo Qianxun’s face spasmed. "True. They fell out of use because they devour materials like a bottomless pit! Choose another treasure. This one’s wasteful folly!"

"No," Fang Lie said flatly. "Bird Bro claims it’ll accelerate my cultivation beyond compare. I want it."

"Accelerate?" Mo Qianxun scoffed. "Your cultivation speed already rivals my prime! With your undying nature, you’ll reach Thunder Tribulation—perhaps even Semi-Immortality! Why the haste?"

"My reasons are my own," Fang Lie said coolly. "Will you comply or not?"

He couldn’t reveal the Linglong Qi Locking Tower’s curse—his fatal weakness. If others learned, they’d sabotage his cultivation. Fail to expand his Qi Sea to 120,000 miles within a century, and even his undying nature wouldn’t spare him from lifespan depletion.

Misreading Fang Lie’s motives as greed, Mo Qianxun glowered in silence.

Fang Lie shrugged. "No matter. I’ll trade the Divine Marrow with other sects for the materials."

"You wretched brat!" Mo Qianxun snarled. "Fine! You’ll have them!"

"Good," Fang Lie said. "Two more conditions."

"More?" Mo Qianxun’s voice turned dangerous. "Push too far, and neither of us gains!"

"Simple requests," Fang Lie assured. "First: I need half a year at the Jade Pool’s heart to boost my cultivation before suppressing the Small Demon Cave."

Mo Qianxun’s expression eased. "Granted."

"Second: I require high-grade cultivation resources."

Mo Qianxun steepled his fingers. "Hear my counterproposal. Return and refine the sect’s spirit pills into Spirit Liquid for our alchemists. Keep twenty percent. That’ll fund your Jade Pool training."

The Mo Sect housed over a million disciples, including dozens of Great Pill Masters surpassing Fang Lie’s skill. Yet without his unique methods, their pill-refining remained slow and error-prone. With his Spirit Liquid, their success rates would soar, hastening both their progress and the sect’s strength.

It was clear that Mo Sect Leader Mo Qianxun was considering the entire Mo Sect’s interests. Not only had he resolved Fang Lie’s cultivation issues, but he’d also boosted the sect’s high-grade spirit pill production and trained the alchemists, giving them better opportunities to advance.

Upon hearing this, Fang Lie instantly grasped Mo Qianxun’s scheme. He chuckled, "Truly living up to your reputation as the ‘Wise Star’! To devise this three-birds-one-stone plan so quickly—impressive indeed!"

"If you’re impressed, shall we settle it?" Mo Qianxun replied with a grin.

"Hold on," Fang Lie raised a hand. "This way, you reap all benefits while I become your drudge. Do you take me for a fool?"

"Fang Lie," Mo Qianxun frowned, "don’t neglect your roots now that you’ve gained power. Purifying Spirit Liquid costs you nothing. Shouldn’t you serve the sect?"

"Serve the sect… or the family clans?" Fang Lie retorted coldly.

"T-the sect, naturally!" Mo Qianxun stammered. "Great families may gain, but so will other Higher-ups!"

"Fine," Fang Lie sneered. "Then guarantee these pills will be distributed strictly by cultivation level, not family ties. Can you promise that?"

Mo Qianxun fell silent. Among Mo Sect’s Wind Tribulation Immortal-ranked Higher-ups, two-thirds came from family clans. These intermarried factions formed an entrenched bloc, bullying even Fire Tribulation Immortal outsiders.

The sect’s treasures always went first to great family clan heirs, then their relatives, leaving scraps for others. Disposable treasures like spirit pills were divided even more unjustly, with family disciples claiming the lion’s share.

This toxic tradition had festered for generations. Even the Sect Leader couldn’t uproot it without provoking open rebellion from all family clans—Fang Lie had struck at his weakest point.

Seeing Mo Qianxun’s discomfort, Fang Lie pressed, "You admit the Mo family’s fairness and selflessness have died. Why should I bleed for these parasites?"

Defeated, Mo Qianxun sighed, "No arguments left. Name your terms."

"Half the output," Fang Lie declared. "I supply Spirit Liquid, they work—we split evenly."

"Outrageous!" Mo Qianxun objected. "We provide materials and labor! You want half for mere processing?"

"Your ‘materials’ are trash I transmute into treasure," Fang Lie countered. "Countless alchemists crave my Spirit Liquid. You need me, not vice versa. Don’t mistake beggars for benefactors."

"Must you wound the sect so deeply?" Mo Qianxun pleaded. "Your father loved Mo Sect. He’d never—"

"HA!" Fang Lie’s laughter cut him short. "My father gave everything to the sect, only to have his orphans persecuted after his death. Were he watching, he’d curse me for striking too gently!"

Mo Qianxun flushed crimson. Mumbling "Have it your way," he fled the chamber.

Though victorious, Fang Lie felt no triumph—only bitterness. His honorable father deserved better. Had he not encountered the old bird in the Cycle of Fire and inherited Mo Ancestor’s legacy, he might have abandoned the Sect altogether.