Chapter 569 - A Small Fry’s Persistence

Leng Yushu watched Mo Xun nervously, clenching her hands tightly as she mumbled, “Don’t kneel... don’t kneel...”

Ding Lan almost couldn’t hold back. She simply couldn’t understand why Master Ling Ya had taken such a simple-minded, almost idiotic disciple. Compared to the smart and elegant Mo Chenyin of back then, the difference was more than just a little.

Mo Xun slowly said in a daze, “One time, when I was at the Essence Gathering realm, I fought someone over a spirit herb. I lost, and he told me to kneel, so I knelt. Another time, I was surrounded by a few rogue cultivators at the Divine Connection realm. They said if I knelt, I’d live, so I knelt.

“Last time, someone slandered me, insisting my true item was a spirit item. Not only did he refuse to pay, he told me to kneel and apologize. I still knelt. Kneeling and begging for mercy has become routine for me.”

At this point, his eyes reddened slightly. “Before this, you asked me why I’m doing so poorly. The truth is, the reason I’m still alive is because I knelt. Can’t win? Kneel. Can’t argue? Kneel. Big shots are unhappy? I kneel too. Because as long as I’m willing to kneel, there’s a high chance I’ll survive.

“But I don’t think it’s shameful. I just want to live! I’ve never harmed anyone! I don’t want to harm anyone either! I’m a coward, I’m timid, I have no dignity... but I’ve been true to my conscience!”

After hearing his heartfelt words, the maid Xiao Rou’s gaze dimmed. There was not the slightest hint of mockery. Given her background, she understood the bitterness and pain of a cultivator at the very bottom of the Tiannan Realm. Sometimes, wanting to live was really a luxurious thing.

Meanwhile, Gu Han’s expression was blank. Ge Xu wore a look of mockery, as if he could already see Mo Xun kneeling and begging, wagging his tail for pity, and Gu Han losing all face.

Further away, Leng Yushu quietly wiped her tears, tightly clutching the transparent token, secretly resolving to help this pitiful cultivator.

Suddenly, Mo Xun’s tone changed, his eyes lighting up. “But today, no matter what, I cannot kneel!”

This answer surprised everyone. Hm?

Mo Xun clenched his fists, looking at Gu Han, his voice a little choked but his tone resolute. “Even if kneeling means surviving, you will lose face, Senior! A lot of faces! I can’t do it to you, Senior! You’ve done a lot for me! You gave me opportunities I could only dream of! No one has ever been this good to me except my parents! The third person who’s ever been good to me for no reason is you, Senior!”

He then said seriously to Ge Xu, “You’re a big shot! Someone I could never hope to reach! Without you even speaking, your subordinate’s subordinate’s subordinate could destroy a lifetime of my hard work with a flick of their hand. Normally, I would’ve knelt long ago! But today... even if I die, I cannot kneel!”

His waist, which had been bent for half his life, straightened for the first time, as upright as a mountain peak.

Chongming was silent for a moment. “Well, that’s pretty moving.”

“Woof!”

“But who said anything about you dying?”

“Woof!”

Leng Yushu quickly chimed in, “Exactly! You’re a good person! Good people can’t die!”

Mo Xun was dumbfounded. He had already burned his bridges, ready to risk his life. But he never expected that both Chongming and Leng Yushu would be so nonchalant, as if this small matter wasn’t worth worrying about at all.

Gu Han gently stroked his storage ring, his expression unexpectedly tender. Chenyin, it seems the Mo Clan’s descendants have produced someone with backbone. That’s very good. Although you have no impression of the Mo Clan, with your temperament, you’d be happy too if you knew...

After failing to achieve his goal, Ge Xu’s expression turned colder. “As expected of the weak! Always playing the victim! Since that’s the case, I’ll grant you your wish! Steward Yu!”

“Young Master, your command please!”

“Drive them out of Lingyun City. They are not to enter for three years. This request isn’t too much, is it?”

Steward Yu laughed. “Not at all! It’s completely reasonable!”

Gu Han stared at Steward Xin curiously. “One question. If you do this, wouldn’t it contradict the rules you set?”

Ge Xu sneered. “What a fool! Rules can be made, so they can be changed!”

Steward Yu deliberately waved his gold token. “He’s right. This thing can change the rules within a reasonable scope in Lingyun City!”

Xiao Hei couldn’t hold back anymore. “Woof woof woof!”

It opened its mouth and spat out its entire fortune—seven or eight storage rings. Then, it glanced at Steward Xin, its meaning obvious: Go get the token!

Steward Xin’s face lit up with joy, and he quickly took the storage rings. Gu Han was a guest he was responsible for. If Gu Han was driven out, he would lose face and be marginalized in the association in the future, with no place to stand.

Everyone was shocked. This dog tycoon’s actually this rich?!

The young man and the middle-aged man’s expressions changed slightly. “Young Master!”

If Xiao Hei also had a gold token, then the rules wouldn’t work on Gu Han.

Steward Yu smiled with confidence. “Gold tokens are not so easy to obtain.”

Sure enough, as he counted, the smile on Steward Xin’s face gradually disappeared. He looked at Xiao Hei. “Honored guest, the things inside... are still quite a bit short of a gold token.”

Xiao Hei was stunned. “Woof?”

My entire fortune can’t even get a gold token? Your family is too black-hearted!

Steward Yu smiled smugly. “It’s very normal! Black token requires twenty thousand points. Green token requires one hundred thousand points. Silver token requires five hundred thousand points. This gold token requires two million five hundred thousand points! Do you know, since the Lingyun Merchant Association was founded, only thirty-nine silver tokens and four gold tokens have been issued!”

They were controlled respectively by four first-rate forces besides the Lingyun Merchant Association.

Xiao Hei glanced at Steward Xin. “Woof?”

Steward Xin sighed. “That’s right.”

Then, Xiao Hei barked at Gu Han, “Woof!”

Take out your resources too. Let’s pool them together. We should be close enough!

Steward Xin perked up. There’s still hope!

Unexpectedly, Gu Han shook his head. “Gold? This is getting a bit boring.”

He calculated that even if he took out all his resources, the points were still just a tiny bit short of a gold token. And even with a gold token in hand, it would only be a tie with Ge Xu. He still couldn’t do anything to the other party in the end.

He glanced at Steward Yu, who was smugly pleased with himself. “What about the crystal token? Why didn’t you mention it?”

Before Steward Yu could speak, Steward Xin smiled bitterly. “Honored guest, the crystal token represents something extremely special. If it’s just ordinary resources, even if the points reach a few million, it can’t be exchanged. Since the Lingyun Merchant Association was founded, only one has been issued.”

Gu Han frowned deeply. “It’s that difficult? Where is that token?”

Leng Yushu waved her arm, somewhat proud. “It’s right here with me! Isn’t it a coincidence? Do you need to use it? I can lend—”

“Go away!”

Leng Yushu bit her lip and secretly wiped her tears again. “Oh...”

Ding Lan’s face was ashen but she couldn’t say anything. Her chest rose and fell, making her look even more majestic. Steward Xin didn’t dare admire her, nor was he in the mood.

He steeled himself. “To obtain a crystal token, you have to provide something very precious and hard to find for the Lingyun Merchant Association. It’s to serve as our treasure of the guild.”

“For example?”

Steward Yu’s smile grew brighter. “Forget it. I will just hammer it in for you. Each one is unique and extremely hard to find! For example, a Soul Crystal at least the size of a fist, a dao fruit, or the relic site token!”

He then emphasized after pausing, “Of course, three or five won’t do. Only if you have them can you wish for a crystal token!”

He glanced at Gu Han, seemingly respectful but actually questioning, “Do you have that many tokens?”