Apart from the unchanged Crimson Tree Branch Throne, rows of white jade stone couches extended forward in a wing-like formation ahead of him, accompanied by matching tea tables and desks.
In the air appeared numerous small butterflies fluttering with sky-blue fluorescent light. These butterflies occasionally transformed into beautiful maids who carried baskets and trays. Fresh fruits and immortal brew appeared automatically on the tables, creating a divine, immortal scene.
A strand of gentle, distant orchestral music emerged, its melody uplifting and clear, leaving listeners with a refreshed mind and eased heart.
Lin Yu breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this.
Good, Pei Jiye still had his reason—at least he wasn’t clamoring for everyone to die together.
He bowed and exited the hall, conveying Pei Jiye’s intentions to the sect’s higher-ups. Soon, several cultivators appeared abruptly in the hall, and gradually, all the empty couches were filled.
Pei Jiye sat high at the front. His gaze swept over the cultivators before him, intense hatred surging in his heart, as if his vision itself had been dyed red.
This was not only his own hatred but also the hatred from the Demon Race bloodline awakened within him by Nine Spirits Sect—the hatred of Chongming Great Demon, who had returned to the human world with him.
It was almost time, so close now. Just a little more.
A inscrutable smile hung at the corner of Pei Jiye’s lips. He would make them all pay the price.
“According to the sect’s lending rules, if the top cultivator in a lineage has an accident, it can easily drag down the entire faction.”
Meanwhile, in the Pill Room, Hong Kui was quietly discussing Silent Night Palace’s cultivation system with Le Qingping.
“For example, if you and I borrow from the sect, even if we rack up massive debts and something goes wrong, it’s just us who perish. But if it’s our master who has the accident, then their debts get spread to us. If we don’t have enough balance to cover them, it gets spread further to the outer sect disciples and menial disciples below us.”
Hong Kui said softly, “If in the end none of us can balance the accounts, heavenly tribulation will come knocking in the shortest time, settling us all and leading to our deaths.”
Le Qingping’s usually gentle and amiable face showed a trace of shock and worry.
“You mean that what really happened last night was to Shanle Senior, so the three disciples under him—including Senior Brother Fang—and the three cultivators close to him all got caught up too?”
Hong Kui’s expression was grave. “That’s the only explanation for why seven high-ranking cultivators were settled overnight.”
Le Qingping’s tone was odd. “I heard Shizun mention before that Shanle Senior seemed to be the Palace Lord’s direct disciple.”
Hong Kui snorted. “Our Shizun is one of them too, Senior Sister Le. Don’t beat around the bush with me—just say Shanle Senior was a disciple of the former Palace Lord.”
“Then let me ask directly. Since the palace settles accounts by lineage, why is Shanle Senior fine after the Palace Lord changed?”
“I don’t know.”
Hong Kui and Le Qingping stared at each other. “I’m just a lowly Foundation Establishment cultivator. I only occasionally hear Shizun mention things about the Palace Lord.”
Le Qingping muttered, “My Shizun is out there living freely and hasn’t shown up in ages.”
“I heard you cleared your negative credit?”
“Yeah, Senior Brother Zheng’s face was extremely ugly.”
Hong Kui gave Le Qingping a thumbs up. “Well done.”
Le Qingping had exceptional talent and always found new materials and resources, so she dared to run up huge tabs with Senior Brother Zheng. Hong Kui didn’t dare to be as bold as her.
“I heard the Xie Yu you brought back is a Sunset Death Gate cultivator?”
Hong Kui winked at Le Qingping. “The fat sheep you had your eye on?”
Le Qingping muttered, “Originally, I wanted to use Xie Yu as a scapegoat to shift my debts. He didn’t say he was from Sunset Death Gate back then. But now, I wouldn’t dare. What if he has backers there and some great senior comes to assassinate me?”
Though she had initially made a deal with Xie Linlang to help her exchange things, with seven people dying in the sect overnight, Le Qingping felt uneasy.
Whether Xie Linlang discovered he was trapped and took her out, or she dragged Xie Linlang down with her leading to them both being settled, the outcome was terrifying either way.
“But no matter what, many well-connected cultivators have heard about the changes in the sect.”
Le Qingping added, “The Palace Lord will definitely take some action to quell everyone’s doubts, right?”
Hong Kui nodded. “I heard Shizun mention it once or twice. It seems the Palace Lord plans to hold the Grand Pill Competition.”
Le Qingping was stunned. “Grand Pill Competition? Why? We’ve developed plenty of useful runes in the Rune House these years. Why hold a competition just for pill refiners?”
In other words, the palace was giving special benefits to pill refiners. No way—she had to protest!
“It’s said they discovered a Mustard Seed Realm left behind by a Pill King, with an inheritance inside.”
Hong Kui grinned and spread his hands at Le Qingping. “Apparently, that Pill King didn’t require inheritors to be orthodox cultivators, so demonic cultivators can compete too. Even if you don’t get the inheritance, you can improve your pill dao skills. That’s why a lot of demonic sects are getting restless lately.”
Le Qingping sighed in regret. “No wonder they’re holding the Grand Pill Competition. Too bad I can’t get involved.”
Hong Kui said with some pride, “Shizun has already decided to send me to the True Realm for this grand event. But naturally, the more sect cultivators who can participate, the better, so they’ll hold another round of selections.”
He also mentioned Shen He. “My Junior Brother Shen hasn’t been in the sect long, but he has excellent talent in pill refining. We brothers might go together.”
Le Qingping felt a pang of frustration upon hearing this.
She thought dispiritedly that her Rune House had no one skilled in pill refining. This great opportunity would pass her by.
