Chapter 107 - 82: Taking Stock

The disciples of Lingxu Peak suddenly broke into an uproar.

Meng Yifei was taken aback. He glanced at Master Lingxu. "What’s going on? Hasn’t Lingxu Peak distributed this month’s resources for the ordinary disciples?"

Master Lingxu’s expression soured.

He was actually aware of what Sheng Yuan had been doing, but he hadn’t cared.

As long as it solved the problem and the trouble didn’t find its way to him, he couldn’t be bothered to intervene.

But when this sort of thing was brought out into the open, it was bound to get ugly!

Withholding resources from ordinary disciples... Where was he supposed to put his face as the Peak Master!

"Sheng Yuan! What is the meaning of this!" Master Lingxu directly confronted Sheng Yuan.

Sheng Yuan’s face was deathly pale. He stammered in a panic, "Little Junior Sister... Little Junior Sister needed to compensate the Spiritual Artifact Pavilion with Spirit Stones. I had no other choice, so I..."

Sheng Yuan turned to Ye Zhaozhao, his face full of expectation. "Zhaozhao! Since you still have so many precious talismans, why not take them out and exchange them for Spirit Stones? That would solve everything."

Ye Zhaozhao’s lips trembled, her heart racing in panic. "Senior Brother, I... Weren’t we keeping those talismans to trade for greater benefits in the Langya Secret Realm? They’re all used up now. I really have nothing left."

"And? This is what you got in exchange for such precious talismans?" Luo Mingyue glanced disdainfully at the meager items Ye Zhaozhao and Chang Le’an had produced.

This haul couldn’t even compare to that of an ordinary disciple.

And this was the result *after* using precious talismans?

’Just how pathetic must Ye Zhaozhao and Chang Le’an have been to begin with!’

Luo Mingyue’s words were blunt. This time, Sheng Yuan didn’t immediately jump to Ye Zhaozhao’s defense. He looked at her, his thin lips pursed. "Zhaozhao, stop being so willful. If you have any resources, just take them out."

Ye Zhaozhao was immediately overwhelmed with a sense of grievance.

’I wish I had something to give!’

But she was truly empty-handed!

’I never had any talismans; wasn’t that all just a lie?’

Sheng Yuan’s expression was incredibly stern, and Ye Zhaozhao’s eyes reddened with grievance.

’They were all helping me willingly before.’

’And now...’

’Everything has become my problem!’

"I really have nothing left," Ye Zhaozhao said, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked at Sheng Yuan.

’How could Senior Brother bear to pressure me like this!’

"So, Senior Brother, what’s the plan?" Yan Xiao couldn’t help but speak up. "You promised you’d return our resources after the Langya Secret Realm."

"Exactly."

The other disciples of Lingxu Peak began to voice their discontent.

"Everything was fine before. Ever since Senior Sister Li left, Lingxu Peak has just gone further and further downhill..." one disciple couldn’t help but mutter.

The person next to him jumped in alarm and quickly gave him a tug.

Startled, the disciple snapped his mouth shut, not daring to say another word.

He hadn’t finished his sentence, but everyone understood the implication.

After Li Shuang left, Sheng Yuan took over the role of senior brother. Originally, the members of Lingxu Peak had always told outsiders that things were better with Li Shuang gone and that their lives would only improve under Sheng Yuan’s leadership.

But now...

They probably didn’t even believe that load of nonsense themselves anymore.

"That’s enough," Meng Yifei said in a low voice. "Have you all forgotten where you are? Why are you causing a scene in front of the other Five Sects?"

Master Lingxu hurriedly said, "Sect Leader, once I get to the bottom of this, I will be sure to handle it properly."

Meng Yifei didn’t want to deal with him for the moment. His gaze fell upon Liu Juncheng and Li Shuang. "The two of you are the only ones whose gains haven’t been tallied. Go on."

Li Shuang and Liu Juncheng acknowledged the order and walked up to the disciple in charge of the tally.

"Yan Fan, you’re the only one left from the Cangyuan Sect. You go as well," Yun Qingyu said.

Yan Fan walked over as well.

With the Demon Clan’s interference this time, the Six Sects had suffered heavy losses.

Of the three hundred disciples who entered, just over two hundred returned. Many had been left behind in the Secret Realm forever.

The other returning disciples had already had their gains tallied. Due to the Demon Clan’s interference, their hauls were much smaller than last time.

In terms of the quantity of resources, Cangyuan Sect still ranked first.

Following them were.

Guiyi Sect.

Thousand Mechanism Sect.

Bright Light Sect.

Jueyi Sect.

And finally, the Sword Sect.

The resource tally roughly corresponded to the sects’ overall rankings.

The final rankings were unlikely to change much. Even though the Sword Sect had two people left and the Cangyuan Sect had one, still...

No one believed Liu Juncheng and Li Shuang could change anything.

Even if Ye Zhaozhao claimed Li Shuang was some peerless genius, the Golden-winged Eagle’s death was probably due mainly to the Fifth-rank Talisman. Yan Fan played a secondary role, and Li Shuang... she likely just offered some minor support.

After all, no matter how you spun it, she was only at the Qi Cultivation Stage!

Soon, the final resource tally began.

Liu Juncheng went up first.

He slapped his storage bag, and a pile of resources appeared before them.

Meng Yifei’s eyes lit up.

’Liu Juncheng’s haul is a bit larger than I expected!’

’Maybe the Sword Sect’s ranking has a chance to move up a bit?’

Steward Chen led a group of disciples and began the tally.

"One section of five-hundred-year-old First-rank Green Bamboo."

"Three Third-stage Xuan Guang Fruits."

"Three Second-grade Lotus Seedpod Fruits."

"Oh? There’s even a stalk of Fourth-rank Nine-Tailed Fox Grass."

"This is... third-tier ore! Red Wolf Stone!"

Liu Juncheng’s haul was quite substantial this time, and the spirits of everyone from the Sword Sect lifted.

But soon, the tally began on the Cangyuan Sect’s side.

"Second-Order Sand Gold: fifteen grains!"

"Fourth-rank Agarwood Fruit: three!"

"Gods... what is this? An entire stalk of Fifth-rank Golden Dragon Grass."

"Wait, there’s Fifth-rank Purple Qi Soil here too!"

"And there’s more! One piece of Fifth-rank Frost Jade!"

The announcements from the Cangyuan Sect’s side grew louder and more excited.

Among the resources Yan Fan brought out were a full three different Fifth-rank treasures!

Those three items alone were worth more than all the rest combined!

The Guardian Demon Beasts for Fifth-rank resources are incredibly formidable!

For Yan Fan to be able to bring back three of them, he truly was a heaven-sent prodigy!

A satisfied smile spread across Yun Qingyu’s face. "Well done."

She stated calmly, "It seems the outcome of this tally has already been decided."

Cangyuan Sect would undoubtedly be number one again!

Meng Yifei sighed.

With Liu Juncheng’s resources added in, the Sword Sect wasn’t far behind the fifth-place Jueyi Sect, but they were still short.

’There’s still Li Shuang. She might be able to help us barely squeeze into the top five.’

’But... that would be the extent of it.’

"Little Frost, you go ahead," Lin Qingling said with a smile.

’She didn’t care about winning or losing.’

’As long as her two disciples returned safely, she couldn’t ask for anything more.’

"Yes," Li Shuang answered dutifully.

She walked up to Steward Chen.

Yan Fan couldn’t help but look over, his expression filled with gravity.

He had always considered Li Shuang his greatest rival. Even after she chose reincarnation, that had never changed.

Noticing Yan Fan’s gaze, Yun Qingyu was taken aback for a moment.

’Oh? It seems my disciple takes this Li Shuang quite seriously!’

Yun Qingyu couldn’t help but look over as well.