"Colorful Merit Fish, a billion-point jackpot..."
Since the news had already spread everywhere, and everyone was discussing it, Lü Yang didn't take much effort to figure out the whole story.
There was a treasure site named the "Merit Pool" beneath the Stain Fire Cliff, deep within the Cloud Sea. In the pool resided a unique spirit beast known as the "Merit Fish."
The fish were categorized into five colors—white, blue, purple, gold, and colorful.
The closer the fish was to the colorful end, the more vigorous its essence became. Consuming it can not only enhance the quality of Qi but also help one break through cultivation bottlenecks.
The so-called "Accumulating Merit" mission was thus born.
Each disciple was allowed to take the task once per month. They would draw a number at random and then pay ten Contribution Points to receive the Merit Fish matching their draw.
All the points collected accumulated into a prize pool. According to the sect's elders, whoever managed to draw the sole colorful Merit Fish would win every Contribution Point stored within it.
Over the years, the pool had swelled to a staggering amount. For nearly a century, not a single disciple had drawn the colorful fish—until Xiaoshiye took his chance yesterday.
"A billion! A billion!"
In the rocking chair, the old man was still muttering jealously.
A century-long temptation was taken by a newcomer who had joined less than ten days ago!
No wonder he was feeling unbalanced; after all, he had contributed to the Merit Pool throughout the years.
Not to mention Xiao Shiye, who, upon winning the jackpot, also obtained the most precious colorful Merit Fish, which helped him break through from the First Layer of Qi Refining to the Final-phase of Qi Refining overnight. He had been accepted as a disciple by a Perfected Person in the sect and was in seclusion preparing for Foundation Establishment.
He was fortunate enough to make Lü feel a surge of jealousy—let alone the other, more senior disciples.
However, his mood quickly changed... because Xiao did not conceal the number he chose when drawing the colorful Merit Fish.
"2025113....."
Looking at this number, Lü Yang couldn't help but swallow.
As Lü Yang firmly remembered this string of numbers, preparing to use it for the next lifetime, a graceful figure suddenly walked into the Library Pavilion.
"Junior Brother Lü?"
Lü Yang looked up, immediately recognizing her, none other than Qingchen, who also seemed surprised, her charming face showing a bit of surprise at the encounter.
"Oh, it's Qingchen, is it time?"
The old man also saw Qingchen, and his initially bored expression instantly turned solemn, getting up and saying, "Then let's set off quickly."
"Senior Brother, are you also going to explore the Cave Mansion?" Lü Yang asked curiously.
"What else?" he replied irritably: "I just lost a fortune, if I don't find a side income, I can't make ends meet!"
"Lost a fortune?"
"Ah, it's because of my carelessness." he sighed: "Recently, there was a battle between the Stain Sect and the Celestial Sword Pavilion."
The Sword Pavilion came prepared and forcibly seized a Mass Grave in the south belonging to the Stain Sect.
The 'Death-Warding Skeleton' produced from that Mass Grave is truly a valuable artifact. With the Mass Grave seized, its price within the Stain Sect skyrocketed.
Initially, everyone was hoarding goods, but I was cautious and observed for a while."
"Later, I found that the price only went up and never down, and thinking the opportunity would slip by, I finally took action and hoarded a batch of goods at a high price from others."
At this point, the old man was full of regret, slapping his thighs in remorse: "Who would have thought, right after my purchase, the news came that the Stain Sect launched a counterattack and regained the Mass Grave; as a result, the price that had just gone up plummeted, even less than the original price!"
Lü Yang: "....."
"But fortunately, there's Qingchen." he sighed for a while, then promptly regained his spirits, sighing, "Qingchen is really a good person."
Qingchen smiled shyly: "Senior Brother, you flatter me."
"This is heartfelt praise," the old man said sincerely: "If you hadn't recommended Senior Brother Zhao to me, I fear I wouldn't even have gotten my capital back."
"Just a little help," Qingchen modestly said: "Senior Brother Zhao just happened to need a batch of Death-Warding Skeletons, and since Senior Brother had a stockpile, I just happened to match you two up. I just hope that when exploring the Cave Mansion, if Qingchen finds anything desirable, Senior Brother could assist a bit."
Senior Brother Zhao... Zhao Xuhe?
"Right, Junior Brother Lü."
Only then did Fairy Qingchen seem to remember Lü Yang, turning her head to look over: "Are you really not planning to accompany us in exploring the Cave Mansion this time?"
"....please forgive my refusal sister."
Lü Yang shook his head and said: "I have just entered the sect not long ago, with little power and influence, so I want to focus on cultivation. Exploring the Cave Mansion is too dangerous, and I really can't manage it."
"Kid, that's not something I like hearing."
The old man shook his head: "Focus on cultivation? Disciples like us, who don't have money or power, will have no path to immortality if all we do is hunker down and cultivate."
"Cultivation is a path against Heaven, without taking risks, how can your cultivation level soar?"
"When everyone feels scared and wants to retreat, that's when you should courageously try and strive, only then can you seize the opportunity!"
'Others fear and you are greedy, no wonder you go bankrupt', thought Lü.
No matter how hard the old man tried to persuade him, Lü refused to budge. In the end, the old man stormed off in frustration, snapping, "That kid is beyond saving!"
Seeing this, Qingchen gave Lü Yang a deep look before turning to leave as well, heading to a hidden Cave Mansion on Heaven Mending Peak with the old man. She let the Elder wait in the outer courtyard, before heading into the inner courtyard and reaching a Quiet Chamber.
Not long after, the door to the Quiet Chamber opened, and Zhao Xuhe strolled out.
"Failed again? He still didn't budge?"
Listening to Qingchen's recount, Zhao Xuhe's brow gradually furrowed: "It seems this person has a firm Dao Heart, well, his absence will not affect the big picture."
"Senior Brother, I feel there is something wrong with this person."
Qingchen lightly bit her silver teeth: "The life lamps of those three lovers of mine have gone out. Last night, I sent them to kill that guy....now it seems they failed."
"Senior Brother, you know, those are all at the Third Layer of Qi Refining, if Lü Yang killed them....could it be he's already at the Mid-phase of cultivation?"
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
Zhao Xuhe shook his head without hesitation: "Breaking through bottlenecks is not easy, in just a few days, he could at most reach the Third Layer of Qi Refining, but it's impossible to break through to the Mid-phase."
"You don't need to be overly suspicious, I've checked his purchase records."
"He bought a lot of Qi Pills, if he consumed them without regard to the cost, reaching the Third Layer of Qi Refining is no surprise, as for your three lovers...."
"He took out a Cultivation Technique Loan to buy a technique, the Supreme Heaven Sword Mastery from the Celestial Sword Pavilion." Zhao Xuhe analyzed meticulously: "If he has extraordinary talent in Sword Techniques, killing your three lovers wouldn't be surprising."
"... Senior Brother has a point."
Qingchen pondered for a while, feeling Zhao Xuhe's analysis was more reasonable, as she had firsthand experience of how difficult the Mid-phase bottleneck was when she struggled through it for nearly ten years before barely breaking through.
Now talking about a just-entered disciple breaking through in less than a month was purely nonsensical unless he was a reincarnated Perfected Person.
"Enough, we'll address this matter later."
Zhao Xuhe waved his hand, eyes gleaming coldly: "First, handle the 'Cave Mansion' matter, have all the people been gathered?"
"Yes." Qingchen nodded: "Especially the old man Wang Baifeng from the Library Pavilion. After Senior Brother bought his Death-Warding Skeleton, he trusts us greatly."
"That's good."
Zhao Xuhe smirked: "Our Stain Sect is always full of talented cultivators. Whether we can seize this opportunity to make a fortune depends on these fellow junior brothers and sisters...."