The transformation wasn't instant or complete, but it was visible in real-time as Kinson's expression shifted from barely controlled fury toward something approaching cautious interest, his grip on the chair's armrests gradually loosening as different calculations began running through his mind.
Mutual profit and Spirit $tones, as always in this devil's domain that pretended to be a immortal cultivation sect, proved to be the ultimate universal solvent for interpersonal conflicts..
Having already established a successful business relationship through two previous collaborative ventures that had proven mutually profitable, Kinson and Lordi had developed sufficient mutual understanding and established patterns of cooperation that extensive verbal negotiation had become largely unnecessary.
The Bloodline Lord's posture shifted subtly. His voice, when he finally spoke again after what felt like an eternity of tense silence filled only by the soft clink of jade vials being set down, had lost all its earlier sharp edge and bitter cold, returning instead to a more casual but appropriately solemn tone.
"Then this Senior Brother shall make another trip to the Auction House at State Vermithys immediately."
Observing Lordi's eager nodding and obvious relief, Kinson felt compelled to add one more pointed warning, his voice taking on a note of stern insistence.
"Listen, while I'm away from the holy sect. Do not cause me any more trouble!"
Lordi responded with immediate and emphatic assurances, his voice carrying earnest conviction. "Aye! Senior Brother Wexford! You have my solemn word! This humble junior absolutely will not cause any more complications or attract any negative attention!"
Kinson made a weak, dismissive gesture with one hand, clearly exhausted from this entire interaction. "Remember that promise. Hold yourself to those words. Now, leave."
The unspoken subtext was clear: Get the abyss fuck out of my sight before I lose control of my temper again.
If this infuriating junior brother remained in his presence for even a few more minutes, he genuinely feared he might lose the tenuous grip he maintained on his violent impulses.
——
A few moments later, Lordi returned to the safety and comfort of the Lantern Cliff Residence. Lying onto the large bed in his private chambers, he allowed his mind to turn toward strategic planning and future considerations. It was time to seriously contemplate his next moves.
One goal crystallized with absolute clarity in his thoughts: he absolutely had to secure the first place in the upcoming Grand Outer Sect Tournament!
Originally, when he'd first learned about this Grand Tournament and its prizes, Lordi hadn't felt particularly motivated by the rewards on offer.
After all, he possessed the AllFullOS System's One-Click-Cultivation function, which meant he could advance his cultivation strength and master any divine moves without requiring personal instruction from some powerful demonic sect Overlords.
The promised guidance from a Sect Successor that served as one of the Tournament's major prizes therefore held minimal practical value to him.
Regarding cultivation resources, another primary category of rewards, the substantial plunder he'd obtained from the Hanz Clan Treasure House had already provided him with enough wealth and various materials to sustain his advancement for a considerable period.
However earning Fairy Lith's favorable impression represented an opportunity of immeasurable value that absolutely had to be pursued with maximum effort!
Lordi had begun to fully appreciate and understand a harsh reality about his petty position within the Abyss Pit Sect's hierarchy.
This massive immortal cultivation sect was nothing like Deerspring Town.
Back in that small mortal town, Kinson Wexford's appearance had cut an impressive and intimidating figure, radiating overwhelming god like authority.
But here, within the actual structure of the Abyss Pit Sect proper, Kinson Wexford as a sponsor protective patron proved disappointingly inadequate. As a metaphorical "thigh to cling to"—as a source of backing and protection—he was frankly too weak, insufficiently robust to provide reliable support when circumstances became truly dangerous.
At critical moments when Lordi genuinely needed strong backing, that Deathveil Bloodline Lord simply couldn't be counted on.
Lordi had only visited the Inner Sect to seek out this Senior Brother's support a handful of times, yet on two of those visits, he'd arrived to find Kinson in the aftermath of having been brutally beaten by someone much stronger!
This beating appeared worse than the last, the injuries more severe, the humiliation more complete. Both of Kinson's legs had been shattered, requiring extensive healing that would take weeks or months to fully resolve even with cultivators's medicinal assistance.
This generated profound anxiety in Lordi's mind, undermining his sense of security within the sect structure. What would happen if some crisis occurred, if he desperately needed powerful backing to protect him from enemies or navigate some dangerous political situation, only to discover that Kinson Wexford had been beaten to death by yet another person he'd offended?
Therefore, despite being fully aware that the Outer Sect contained millions of Qi Refinement Stage disciples and that competing for the championship position would be extraordinarily difficult against such a vast field of talented cultivators, despite understanding that the odds were objectively against him, he absolutely could not afford to pass up this golden opportunity.
This tournament represented a direct path to riding on Fairy Lith's coattails, to securing the patronage of someone genuinely powerful and influential within the sect hierarchy.
Even in the worst case where he somehow failed to secure Fairy Lith's direct favor despite winning the tournament, the mission itself had originally been assigned to him by Lady Joanie. Successfully completing the task and winning the championship would at minimum earn him Lady Joanie's increased approval and deeper investment in his success. If he couldn't manage to cling to Fairy Lith's long legs, he could at least secure a firmer grip on Joanie's thigh as a consolation prize.
"Looking at the situation clearly, I currently face two primary challenges that must be addressed before the Grand Tournament begins."
"The first and most obvious challenge is increasing my personal combat power and overall strength, ensuring I'm adequately prepared for the intense battles the Grand Tournament will demand. I need to maximize my cultivation progress and master powerful techniques that will give me an edge against other talented competitors."
Lordi continued planning, moving to the second major concern. "The other critical issue is acquiring proper understanding of fundamental cultivation world common knowledge and conventions. I'm embarrassingly ignorant about basic information that every sect member should know. Most urgently, I absolutely must learn to read and write Cloud Calligraphy, that specialized ancient written language used throughout the cultivation world."
Under normal circumstances, these knowledge gaps should have been addressed immediately upon joining the Outer Sect. Every other new disciple received basic orientation and education covering these foundational topics during their first weeks. Lordi should have accessed this information months ago.
But the problem stemmed from that very first night after his recruitment, when the AwfulOS System had forcibly gifted him with three roommates's essence blood—each one bringing their own complicated background and dangerous connections. From that disastrous beginning, he'd been thrown into an endless series of crises and complications.
The debt from killing those three troublemakers had consumed all his attention and resources for months, forcing him to focus exclusively on earning enough Spirit $tones to pay the sect's penalty and avoid execution. He'd been constantly running from one emergency to the next, perpetually scrambling to stay ahead of disaster, with absolutely no time or mental bandwidth to spare for studying basic educational materials or learning proper written script.
Now, finally, having settled his debts and achieved some measure of financial stability and breathing room, he had the opportunity to address these fundamental gaps in his knowledge.
"Advancing my cultivation level is actually the simpler of my two challenges. I'm already at the peak of the Eighth Layer of Qi Refinement Stage, standing right at the threshold of the next breakthrough. With the assistance of those legendarylevel Bone Tempering Pills I have in reserve, I estimate I'll need at most ten more days, perhaps even less, before I naturally break through to the Ninth Layer."
"Regarding combat moves and martial techniques, I obtained an absolute treasure trove of technique manuals and cultivation methods from the Hanz Clan Treasure House. Plus hundred of personal transmission of sword move inheritances from Krogh Hanz. There are dozens of practices I could potentially study and master. However, I need to exercise caution here. The awfulOS's function, while incredibly useful, is also fundamentally flawed—it's an absolute idiot that causes catastrophic problems. Allowing this glitching system to one-click-cultivationning definitely carries risks, as I learned so painfully with the Jade Tempering Pill incident when it dragged me off to commit theft and robbery..."
His expression hardened with determination as he worked through the solution. "But I've already solved that problem conceptually. I can use mechanical traps to what I designed for the alchemy chamber in the house. By implementing automatical safeguards that will hit on my body to interrupt the System's control if I leave designated safe areas or if certain conditions are triggered, I can prevent the system from leading me into dangerous situations while still benefiting from its training efficiency."
With his internal planning reaching preliminary conclusions, Lordi rose from his seat and departed from his manor, heading back toward the central administrative areas of Pill Peak. His destination was once again the Hall of General Affairs, where he hoped to leverage the connections and expertise of the disciples working there.
——
Upon arriving, Lordi specifically sought out Manager Chiu who had previously handled his manor purchase.
Approaching this familiar figure, Lordi clearly articulated his current need. "I find myself requiring tutorial assistance on a rather sensitive matter. I'm looking for someone—preferably a senior disciple who's been with the sect for many years—who possesses both excellent communication skills and extensive knowledge of sect gossip and common information. Essentially, I need a private tutor who can discretely educate me on fundamental cultivation world knowledge and conventions that I should have learned earlier but somehow missed. Can you recommend someone suitable for such instruction, or arrange such tutoring services?" His request was delivered with appropriate embarrassment at admitting his ignorance, but also with the confidence of someone who knew that money could solve most problems.
Mellisy's response came without the slightest hesitation, her face lighting up with enthusiasm. "Mister Payne, you need look no further! I can personally fulfill this role myself—in fact, I'm probably the ideal candidate for exactly what you're describing! I've been a member of this sect for over fifty years now, serving since I was barely more than a child. For the past ten years specifically, I've held my position here at Alchemy Peak's Hall of General Affairs, which puts me at the center of information flow throughout the Outer Sect. I wouldn't dare claim that I'm aware of every single rumor or development, that I know literally everything happening in every corner of our territory. However, I can confidently say that the matters I don't know about, the gaps in my knowledge, are extremely few—you could count them on one hand. I'm extraordinarily well-informed about both official sect business and rumor gossip. For practical education about how things really work here, you couldn't find a better source!"
Lordi regarded this enthusiastic offer with natural skepticism, having learned through bitter experience not to simply accept people's claims about their own competence at face value. To verify that this wasn't just empty boasting designed to extract Spirit $tones through fraud, he spent several minutes conducting an impromptu oral examination, firing random questions about sect structure, famous disciples, historical incidents, and obscure regulations. He tested this Foundation Stage Senior Sister's knowledge from multiple angles, trying to catch her in gaps or fabrications. The woman handled every query smoothly, providing detailed answers that rang true and demonstrated genuine expertise rather than clever invention.
Satisfied that this person actually possessed the knowledge and information access he claimed, Lordi readily agreed to the arrangement and promptly paid the requested tutoring fee without attempting to negotiate the price down.
Over the course of the next two days, Lordi temporarily set aside both his cultivation practice and his alchemy work to focus exclusively on this crash course in fundamental knowledge. He spent hour after hour listening as this experienced Senior Sister methodically explained the basic structure and operation of the cultivation world at large, then dove into specific details about the Abyss Pit Sect's internal organization, factional politics, unwritten rules, and social dynamics.
During one of these tutorial sessions, the conversation naturally drifted toward recent sect events and current gossip. Mellisy's expression took on a more animated quality as she broached a particularly juicy topic. "Speaking of dramatic recent incidents, Mister Payne, are you aware of the story that's been spreading like wildfire throughout the Outer Sect regarding that catastrophic task to the Hanz Clan Estate? It's become the subject of intense speculation and discussion among virtually everyone."
"When you really examine what happened there, this particular case can legitimately be called the deadliest Outer Sect task in recent years—possibly even in the past decade! The casualty rate was absolutely unprecedented, completely shocking in its severity!"
"Just considering the Ninth Layer Qi Refinement Stage cultivators alone—the cream of the Outer Sect crop, our most accomplished Outer Sect disciples—we lost Donovan Valdez, Soren Langley, Shirley Quinn, Jorge Blue, Garrick Blackthorn, and Rodney Luther. Six Ninth Layer elites, all dead! And that casualty count doesn't even begin to account for the numerous additional deaths among peak Eighth Layer cultivators and regular Eighth Layer squad memebres who participated in the expedition! Dozens of promising Outer Sect future stars, all gone in one task!"
"And it wasn't as though these people rushed into danger unprepared or underestimated the risks involved. Before departing, they had taken extensive precautions! They stockpiled massive quantities of attack Fulus, defensive charm Fulus, healing pills, spirit energy restoration elixirs—every possible tool and resource they might need. They formed a total of five battle sqauds, coordinated strategies, brought superior artifact. They did everything right according to conventional wisdom about how to approach a dangerous task safely."
Her voice dropped to an ominous tone. "Yet despite all those preparations, despite all that power and all those resources concentrated in one place—the result was total annihilation! A complete wipeout!"
Then his tone shifted, taking on a note of eerie significance. "Out of that entire doomed expedition, only two individuals managed to return alive to report what happened: a single male disciple who had previously been utterly unknown and unremarkable—someone whose name nobody had even heard before this incident—plus one female disciple who survived but suffered severe spiritual soul injuries that left her memory fragmented and her mental state compromised. Those two, and only those two, made it back. Everyone else perished."
Having delivered this dramatic setup, Mellisy paused for effect before continuing. Lordi couldn't help but nod in agreement at this particular point. "The Hanz Clan Estate was indeed extraordinarily dangerous."
"So true! Look, and that's precisely what makes the whole thing so suspicious!" Mellisy took Lordi's comment as encouragement to continue her theorizing. "That's exactly the point that has everyone talking and speculating! Because when you really think about it logically, the current consensus among sect comrades is that the catastrophe couldn't have actually been caused primarily by the Hanz Estate itself. No—the disaster must have been orchestrated by that surviving male disciple! He has to be the real culprit behind all those deaths!"
Lordi: "…???"
Lordi felt his mind go completely blank for a moment. Before he could formulate any coherent response or demand clarification about what insane logic had led to such a conclusion, the enthusiastic tutor Mellisy was already pressing forward with her explanation.
"Think about it rationally. How could a mere Hanz Clan Estate—a declining mortal clan with minimal supernatural defenses—possibly kill so many powerful cultivators who came properly prepared and armed? It simply doesn't make sense! The only logical explanation is that someone must have been working from inside the group, deliberately sowing discord and manipulating events. Someone had to be actively creating situations that turned all those elite Outer Sect disciples against each other, driving them into mutual slaughter so that one person could profit from the chaos while everyone else died. That's the only way such a catastrophic result could have occurred."
"And since only that one previously unknown male disciple returned completely unharmed and intact. Well, there's no need for complex investigation or speculation, is there? The culprit, the mastermind behind all those deaths, must obviously be him! Who else could it possibly be? The logic is inescapable!"
Lordi: "!!!..."
Mellisy suddenly lowered her voice dramatically, leaning in close as though sharing an especially scandalous secret that required discretion. Her eyes sparkled with the particular gleam of someone about to share truly salacious gossip. "But here's where the story gets even more interesting—do you know the identity of that surviving male disciple? Do you know his background and connections? This is where things get really spicy!"
Not waiting for Lordi to respond or indicate his knowledge, Mellisy rushed ahead, "That male disciple turns out to be the favored lover of Kim Simona—you know, arguably the most famous and talented female alchemist in the entire Outer Sect! She's renowned for her beauty and Alchemy skill genius. Apparently that man has managed to secure a position as her intimate companion, her private male guest who enjoys special privileges and access to her personal quarters!"
"And then there's that female disciple who survived alongside him but suffered those severe soul injuries—that would be Ruru Rosa, another well-known beauty who happens to be one of Kim Simona's closest bestie friends and confidantes..."
"Now here's the really interesting implication: Ruru's soul injuries have left her memory severely compromised—she can't remember many important details about what happened during this task or the journey back to the holy sect. Given that cognitive impairment, given her vulnerable mental state... well, during that entire journey back to Outer Sect territory, wouldn't she have been completely at that male disciple's mercy? Couldn't he have done absolutely anything he wanted with her, taken any liberties, and she wouldn't have been able to resist or even remember clearly afterward?"
Mellisy's grin turned knowing and slightly lascivious. "The way people are talking, if Kim Simona doesn't take action to address this situation soon, if she doesn't firmly establish boundaries and assert her primary claim... well, she might want to start mentally preparing herself for the possibility of sharing her man with Ruru Rosa. They might end up as sister wives serving the same husband together."
Lordi's hands clenched into fists beneath the table, his jaw locked tight as he struggled to maintain an outwardly calm expression...
What the actual fuck?!
Sharing the same husband...?!
Sister wives...?!
WHAT THE FUCKING HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!
Share my ASS!
Which absolute motherfucking son of a diseased whore started spreading these insane rumors about me?!
PS:
Happy weekend! I hope this new chapter brings you some laughter and leaves you with a joyful heart.
Oh, and before you go... I've been struck by a truly wild, middle-of-the-night story idea. Think: a separate, very spicy R18 side story with a cool male plus several new hot female characters, intense xianxia battle scenes, and... let's just say... adult adventures (of the NSFW/NTR theme variety). 🫣🔥
It's totally for fun and probably separate from our main story. (Take place 200 years later.) Would that be something you'd be curious to read? I'd love to know your real thoughts!
No pressure at all! Just your average R18 author, tossing a crazy idea your way. Have the best weekend ever!
YoungPeasant