Chapter 900: Debt collection at the door

Steward Liu's face darkened slightly. Last time it was eight hundred spirit stones, but this time, it was only five hundred.

"What, not enough for you?" Deacon Ma squinted his eyes slightly.

"I wouldn't dare, thank you... thank you, Deacon Ma."

Steward Liu didn't dare to say more, he could only bow in thanks, take the spirit stones, and leave.

Afterward, he found the captain of the guards and cursed, "Damn it, this time Deacon Ma only gave three hundred spirit stones, the profits are getting thinner! After splitting it between us, there's hardly anything left."

The captain of the guards sighed, "The overall situation is bad now, it's good enough to earn something! We'll set the price at two hundred, and then find a reason to deduct half, splitting a hundred each isn't too bad."

"That's all we can do."

Steward Liu was filled with resentment, feeling greatly wronged.

Before long, the hiring price of two hundred spirit stones was announced, and countless small sects gathered, scrambling for the opportunity.

Tiandou City lacked many things, but what it didn't lack was people willing to work.

Those low-level mortals and lower-tier Core Formation cultivators were everywhere, and only when one reached the Great Perfection of the Core Formation stage did they have some value.

Elemental Infant cultivators had more say and were less likely to be oppressed.

This time, the opportunity to go out mining was ultimately won by the Qingshan Sect, simply because the Qingshan Sect was the strongest and most efficient.

They had two mid-stage Core Formation cultivators, one late Core Formation stage participant, and more than a dozen experts at the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Stage, making them unbeatable.

"Damn it, we have to work for the Gu Family again."

"Just thinking of Steward Liu's face makes me want to beat him to death!"

"No choice, the two hundred spirit stones from the sect leader were lent out, we're all too poor to even cook a meal, it's hard to find work now, we can only endure for now."

Everyone was furious, cursing and pounding their chests, hurling insults at the Gu Family, but they were helpless and could only accept their fate.

This time, Xu Hei did not accompany them; he remained in the courtyard of the Qingshan Sect, secluded in cultivation, refining spirit stones.

Xu Hei was severely injured, and even his efficiency in absorbing spirit stones was greatly reduced, forcing him to take it slow.

…………

Five days later.

According to the agreed deadline, the Qingshan Sect returned smoothly, but they were still given an excuse and had half of their spirit stones deducted, receiving only a hundred.

"The quality of this batch of ore is problematic, and there's blood on it, which is ominous, so we can only give you half!"

"With such poor quality, do you have the nerve to haggle? If it affects the young master's artifact refining, can you bear the responsibility?"

"A hundred is already more than fair, if you don't want it, then get lost!"

After a round of insults, everyone couldn't bear it anymore and stepped forward to fight, but the captain of the guards drew his sword and injured one of them.

The others were also overwhelmed by the guards, beaten and kicked, and within moments, they fell to the ground, spitting blood and retreating in defeat.

"The Gu Family is untrustworthy, I will spread the word and let everyone know!" Gu Qianqian gritted her teeth and said.

"Spread the word? If you think it will help, go ahead! Sending a batch of garbage ore to make up the numbers and still expecting full payment, do you believe I won't announce it immediately and make sure your Qingshan Sect never gets another deal?"

Steward Liu pointed at Gu Qianqian's nose, turning the tables and scolding her.

Everyone was in despair.

The strong held the power to speak, able to turn black into white, and their voices were worth nothing!

Even if someone believed them, so what? As the saying goes, if you don't do it, there are plenty of others who will!

This sense of humiliation, this unwillingness, spread in everyone's hearts, even if they were trampled on, they could only swallow their pride.

Without earning spirit stones, their cultivation would decline, making survival even harder.

To stay alive, dignity was worth nothing!

"Too much! It's too much!"

The severely injured cultivator was bleeding profusely, his eyes filled with the flames of hatred.

In the eyes of everyone from the Qingshan Sect, there was nothing but hatred.

"Hate me? No! You don't hate me, you just hate that you're not me!" Steward Liu sneered in his heart.

Wasn't he once one of these lowly ants too? Hadn't he hated, been unwilling, and humbled himself before others?

But now that he stood in this position, everything was different. He understood that being at the bottom meant being oppressed, meant not being able to hold one's head high.

If everyone could exploit others, who would be left to be exploited?

"Get out within three breaths! This is the Gu Family's territory, and there will be a charge for overstaying!" The captain of the guards stood with his sword, his voice cold.

The place they stood was merely outside the private residence of a young master of the Gu Family, yet it was called the Gu Family's territory, showing how arrogant they were.

No one dared to stay long, and they could only help each other up and retreat into the distance.

They had experienced such humiliation before, but never had it been so degrading.

"The Gu Family is truly impressive!"

Suddenly, a cold voice came from afar.

The people supporting each other stopped in their tracks, staring blankly into the distance at the approaching voice.

No, it wasn't one person, but two.

One big, one small, a man and a dog, walking in unison towards them, their voices clear and loud, echoing in front of the Gu Family's gate.

Before long, the figures approached.

It was Xu Hei and Hei Huang.

Hei Huang wore a bamboo hat and a black cloak, walking upright like a short cultivator, just a bit too short.

Xu Hei also wore a bamboo hat, covering his face. Although he had an ordinary face, similar to thousands in Tiandou City, he still covered it for safety.

Apart from the cultivators of the Qingshan Sect who recognized their aura, no one else knew them.

"Fellow Daoist Xu, it's you!"

Gu Qianqian's face lit up with joy. As an alchemist, she could sense that Xu Hei's condition was much better than before, and she could even feel the fluctuation of spiritual power within him.

Did this mean that Xu Hei's cultivation, which had been destroyed, was recovering?

However, his divine sense was still absent, which was very unusual for any cultivator.

"Fellow Daoist Xu, Fellow Daoist Hei, everything is fine here, let's leave quickly!"

Xu Yanran, seeing Xu Hei's unpleasant expression, quickly advised, not wanting any trouble at the Gu Family's doorstep.

Steward Liu didn't care about any of this, he sneered, "Three breaths have passed, if you don't leave, leave the spirit stones!"

He waved his hand, and the captain of the guards rushed forward, reaching for the storage bag at Gu Qianqian's waist.

He moved swiftly, like lightning, clearly experienced in such acts, specializing in snatching people's money bags.

"Crack!"

"Ah!!"

A sudden scream rang out.

The captain of the guard's arm was severed at the root, blood gushing from the wound. He clutched the severed spot, retreating in horror, looking ahead with eyes full of terror.

Everyone was dumbfounded.