68

“Junior Brother Qingchen.”

Mo Qiuxian coughed lightly, a gentle smile on his face. “I’ve recently heard that there seems to be some unpleasantness between you and Junior Brother Yucheng. Huangzhu Island has thin spiritual energy and an extremely harsh environment; ordinary cultivators are indeed unwilling to go there.

For Junior Brother Yucheng to entrust you with such a heavy responsibility because of this matter is truly due to his hasty and inconsiderate actions. I apologize on his behalf, and hope you won’t take it to heart.”

Before Qingchen could respond, he continued solemnly:

"Since we are fellow disciples, we should support each other and weather the storms together. Junior Brother Qing, please don't hold grudges over such a small matter; it would seem petty.

Moreover, the *Brahma Refining Demon Art* that you cultivate was something I offered to the sect years ago. To my shame, although I obtained this technique, after much deliberation, I dared not cultivate it. It's simply... too flawed and incomplete."

He sighed deeply, his face showing regret: "Junior Brother Qing, I know how difficult it is to cultivate this technique, requiring a large amount of demonic beast resources. If you are interested, you might consider joining the General Affairs Hall; I, your humble brother, am willing to vouch for you."

"The cultivation resources and information channels they possess far exceed those of ordinary outer sect disciples. Ordinary outer sect disciples, yearning for such things, can only ever be menial servants here."

Qing Chen, upon hearing this, inwardly sneered.

What a fine performance, playing the good cop/bad cop game!

That Yellow Bamboo Island was clearly Yu Cheng's scheme to use someone else to kill him, and now it's being portrayed as "unthinkable"?

Ha, does he really think he, Qing Chen, is a virgin?

This Mo Qiuxian's sudden show of goodwill... he probably can't contain himself... lusting after my body?

Could it be that my current cultivation level and blood energy have already satisfied his needs?

But this scoundrel is clearly only at the eighth level of Qi Refining!

He sneered inwardly, but his face remained calm. He simply said, "Thank you for your kindness, Senior Brother Mo. I am currently at a crucial stage in my cultivation and plan to go into seclusion for a while to further improve."

Upon hearing this, the surrounding cultivators began to whisper among themselves.

“Truly ungrateful…”

“This boy’s path to immortality is doomed…”

“What is he anyway…”

“He dares to refuse even when Senior Brother Mo personally recruits him…”

Mo Qiuxian’s face instantly darkened. He gave a cold laugh, a mocking smile playing on his lips: “Heh, Junior Brother Qing is indeed a solitary cultivator, detached from worldly affairs.”

His tone suddenly shifted, “However… I suddenly remembered, Junior Brother seems to have brought someone of unknown identity to Dixuan Island? This matter must be investigated thoroughly before the contribution points can be settled.”

The surrounding disciples of the General Affairs Hall cast strange glances, several senior members showing disdain.

“Oh? Junior Brother Qing, bringing someone to the island requires strict screening. Do you know the rules?” a sharp-faced disciple said sarcastically, his words full of malice.

Qing Chen calmly replied, "This person is a maid I took in. She has a clean background and is from Huangzhu Island. What's wrong with that?"

"A maid?"

The disciple who had previously handled the handover for Qing Chen continued, "Hmph! Junior Brother Qing, do you know that the sect has always been particularly strict in its screening of outsiders?"

"Especially someone like you, suddenly bringing back an unidentified person, requires careful investigation to prevent unscrupulous individuals from infiltrating the sect!"

He picked up Qingchen's token and tossed it aside: "You should take this token back. Senior Brother Mo will return the contribution points to you once he's verified everything."

Mo Qiuxian stared coldly at Qingchen, seemingly waiting for him to provoke him so he could seize the opportunity to lash out.

"Heh."

Qingchen suddenly chuckled, no longer bothering to pretend. A mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips: "I naturally know the rules. Regarding the maidservant matter, I will report it to the sect myself; Senior Brother need not trouble himself."

His gaze swept over the token on the table, "As for these contribution points..."

Qingchen's voice clearly resonated throughout the entire General Affairs Hall: "As for these Huangzhu Island contribution points, they belong to me, Qingchen, and ultimately, they will belong to me, Qingchen.

Consider these contribution points a temporary loan to Senior Brother to treat this cough and cold."

"Senior brother's cultivation has gone awry, yet he's still thinking about withholding my contribution points. He must be short of money."

Amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd,

he flicked his sleeve, placing the Qi Gathering Pill given to him by Mo Qiuxian and a Qi Nourishing Pill he had kept as a spare on the table with two soft "clinks."

"I'm returning Senior Brother's pills as they are, and giving you this Qi Nourishing Pill as a token of my appreciation." He turned to leave, his voice laced with sarcasm:

"If you're sick, you need treatment."

After taking a few steps, his heart was bleeding. Damn it, he overdid it!

That extra Qi Nourishing Pill was worth two spirit stones! And my hundred contribution points!

I won't be satisfied until I skin this bastard alive and tear his soul apart!

Mo Qiuxian's face was ashen, his eyes fixed on Qing Chen's retreating figure like icy ice.

His chest heaved violently, and he coughed several times, almost coughing up his lungs, but he forcefully suppressed the urge to retaliate.

He knew perfectly well that directly attacking an outer disciple within the sect who hadn't committed a major offense would have consequences he couldn't bear.

After all, Qing Chen hadn't been demoted to a menial disciple; he still retained the status and position of an outer disciple.

The surrounding disciples were all dumbfounded. They had never seen an ordinary outer disciple dare to so blatantly defy an inner disciple and a steward of the sect's administrative hall!

This was truly an unprecedented sight.

Mo Qiuxian's sinister gaze swept across the surrounding disciples of the General Affairs Hall, his eyes like knives, his voice icy cold:

"What are you all standing here for? Have you finished dealing with all the sect affairs? Are you all so bored you have nothing better to do? Don't even think about cultivating until you finish your sect affairs!"

The disciples fell silent, heads bowed, avoiding eye contact.

Mo Qiuxian snorted coldly, flicked his sleeve, and left, leaving behind a deathly silence.

...

Time passed, and several days later, Qing Chen stood outside Li Feiyu's cave, patiently waiting.

Through information gathered from Xie and Yue Ting, he learned that this Senior Brother Li, who had brought him back to the sect, had a close relationship with Xu Jiuling, the Deputy Hall Master of the General Affairs Hall.

As for Mo Qiuxian, he had only managed to gain the upper hand over Li Feiyu in the struggle for leadership by presenting the *Brahma Refining Demon Technique*, and with a Foundation Establishment cultivator speaking on his behalf.

No wonder Li Feiyu had given him pointers on Huangzhu Island; no wonder Yu Cheng hadn't dared to act recklessly in front of Li Feiyu that day.

This gave Qingchen an idea.

"Squeak!"

The cave's stone door opened, and Li Feiyu stepped out, slightly surprised to see Qingchen: "Junior Brother Qing, what brings you here?"

Qingchen cupped his hands in a respectful smile: "I've come to thank Senior Brother for your kindness to me that day."

"If it weren't for Senior Brother's leniency in allowing me to bring my maidservant aboard, I'm afraid I would have been subjected to much trouble by certain petty