124: Want to send resources? Sure!

Sect Master Li Tian's voice, filled with anticipation and reverence, slowly echoed across the empty Star Sword Peak.

Lu Yuchen turned over, adjusting his lying posture, as if he hadn't heard anything.

Li Tian didn't dare to rush him and waited quietly.

After a long while, Lu Yuchen only let out a noncommittal 'hmm' from his nose.

"Whatever."

These two simple words left Li Tian utterly bewildered, yet he dared not ask any more questions.

Peak Lord Lu's temperament was truly… unfathomable.

"Then… I won't disturb Peak Lord Lu's cultivation," Li Tian bowed again, then changed the subject, a smile appearing on his face. "Oh, by the way, Star Sword Peak is currently in ruins, and all the necessary cultivation resources can be claimed by Li Huowang at any time from the Sect's Internal Affairs Hall. I've already informed them in advance, so they wouldn't dare to be negligent in the slightest."

Lu Yuchen remained in his half-dead state, merely waving his hand casually, indicating he had heard.

After Sect Master Li Tian left.

Li Huowang, who had been standing beside him, finally leaned closer, a hint of eagerness on his face.

"Revered Master, then… then I'll go to the Internal Affairs Hall now to collect our Peak's resources?"

These past few days, stuck on this desolate, bird-shit mountain, his mouth was practically tasteless.

"Go," Lu Yuchen said succinctly.

"Alright!"

Li Huowang responded, urged his magical power in his feet, and excitedly flew down the mountain.

...

Lichen Sword Sect, Internal Affairs Hall.

This place was one of the central hubs of the entire Sect, responsible for managing the distribution of cultivation resources to all Disciples, from top to bottom. It was extremely lucrative and held immense power.

When Li Huowang revealed his identity as a "Star Sword Peak True Disciple" and arrived at the Internal Affairs Hall.

What greeted him was not the enthusiasm and respect he had imagined.

Instead, it was a series of faces with fake smiles, their eyes betraying a hint of disdain and contempt deep within.

"Oh, isn't this the newly promoted Senior Brother Li of Star Sword Peak? What brings you here?"

A scrawny, middle-aged man with shifty eyes, dressed in a steward's uniform, greeted him with a forced smile.

"I'm here to collect Star Sword Peak's cultivation resources for this month," Li Huowang said, handing over his identity token.

The steward took the token, glanced at it, and then tossed it aside. Then, he slowly retrieved a few pitifully small cloth bags from under the counter and threw them in front of Li Huowang.

"Here, it's all here."

Li Huowang frowned.

With a sweep of his Divine Sense, he saw that the cloth bags contained only basic silver and a few bottles of low-quality Martial Artist Medicinal Pills, along with some food. It wasn't even comparable to the monthly allowance of a regular Outer Sect Disciple!

Was this supposed to be for a beggar?

"Steward, did you make a mistake?" Li Huowang's voice turned cold. "Although Star Sword Peak is sparsely populated, it's still one of the twelve main peaks. This little bit of stuff probably isn't even enough to fill a tooth gap, is it?"

"Mistake?" The steward sneered, spreading his hands with an innocent expression. "Senior Brother Li, there's nothing I can do. The Sect's resources have been tight recently, and all Peaks' allowances have been cut. The Internal Affairs Hall has already done its best to provide this much."

"If you're not satisfied, you can go ask Sect Master himself."

He spoke with complete impunity.

Li Huowang wasn't a fool; he instantly understood.

This was... someone deliberately making things difficult for him, or rather, testing him, testing his Revered Master behind him.

He didn't get angry, but merely pushed the cloth bags back, a cold sneer playing on his lips.

"In that case, never mind."

"This trash, I don't need it."

"I'll go to the Sect Master right now and ask him if my Star Sword Peak is even worse than the Outer Sect."

With that, he turned to leave.

The steward's face instantly changed!

"Hey, hey, hey! Senior Brother Li! Senior Brother Li, wait!"

He lunged forward, grabbing Li Huowang's sleeve tightly, his previously false smile now tinged with anxiety and panic.

Are you kidding me?!

If Li Huowang really took this to the Sect Master, he, a small Internal Affairs Hall steward, would be in deep trouble!

"Senior Brother Li, let's talk this over, let's talk!"

"This matter... this matter wasn't my idea!"

Just as he was about to cry from anxiety, a slightly playful voice slowly came from the inner hall.

"Alright, Steward Wang, you can't even handle a small matter. What a waste."

As soon as the voice fell.

A young man dressed in purple True Disciple robes, with a handsome face and a faint, arrogant smile, slowly walked out.

Behind him followed several Inner Sect Disciples with equally extraordinary Auras, clearly led by him.

"I am Zhou Tong, a True Disciple of Xuanjian Peak. Greetings, Senior Brother Li."

The young man named Zhou Tong cupped his hands towards Li Huowang. Although he was bowing, the provocation and disdain in his eyes were no longer hidden.

He was the True Disciple widely recognized as the strongest in the Lichen Sword Sect, apart from the Sect Master's Personal Disciple.

His cultivation had already reached the Early Stage of the Shattered Void Realm.

He was also the mastermind behind this deliberate harassment of Li Huowang.

Of course, all of this was done under the orders of his Revered Master, the Peak Lord of Xuanjian Peak.

The Peak Lord of Xuanjian Peak had been in secluded cultivation a few days ago and did not know how formidable Lu Yuchen was.

"What do you want?" Li Huowang could sense that the other party's intentions were not good.

"Heh heh, nothing much," Zhou Tong chuckled, pointing at the few shabby cloth bags on the ground. "Senior Brother Li, I know you're indignant."

"How about this: you and I have a spar here."

"If you can defeat me, not only will I double the resources that Star Sword Peak is supposed to have, but I'll also give you my own monthly allowance!"

"But if you lose..." He paused, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes. "Then today's matter will be dropped. And all of Star Sword Peak's resources will be given to you without any deductions. How about that?"

His words were extremely arrogant.

He clearly didn't put Li Huowang or Star Sword Peak in his eyes.

The Internal Affairs Hall steward was so scared his soul almost flew out.

Two True Disciples fighting here? If they tore down his Internal Affairs Hall, who would he cry to?

However, to everyone's surprise.

Upon hearing these words, Li Huowang not only showed no anger, but his eyes, which always carried a hint of madness, instantly lit up!

"There's such a good thing?"

He rubbed his hands, his face full of excitement, looking like a lust-crazed ghoul who had spotted a peerless beauty.

In these past two months, following his Revered Master, his cultivation had soared to Foundation Establishment Seventh Layer, and he had even created two incredibly powerful "Divine Arts."

But he didn't even have anyone to practice with!

He was going crazy practicing his Saber Intent on the rocks and rabbits in the mountains every day!

Now, someone was actually offering themselves up as a sandbag? And with double the cultivation resources?!

This was a bloody profit!

"Fight! Must fight!"

Li Huowang agreed without hesitation, as if afraid the other party would go back on his word.

"I'm just afraid you won't be able to afford to lose!"

"Hahahaha!" Zhou Tong burst into laughter as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world, looking up at the sky and roaring, "Good! Arrogant enough!"

"In that case, then... let's fight!"

As soon as his voice fell!

The terrifying Aura of the Shattered Void Realm erupted.

The ancient long sword behind him let out a clear sword cry, drawing from its sheath with one hand, transforming into a flashing stream of light, and was about to cleave down towards Li Huowang!

However, what greeted him was not the panic he had imagined.

Instead, it was a long Saber that had appeared in Li Huowang's hand at some unknown point, entirely black, with an ancient design, exuding a heart-pounding demonic Aura.

When the Saber was drawn, the winds and clouds stirred!

A supreme Saber Intent, wild, domineering, as if it wanted to cut through all suffering in the world, swept out.

Zhou Tong's proud sword momentum, in front of this Saber Intent, let out a wail as if it had met its nemesis, and was instantly suppressed completely!

"What?!"

Zhou Tong's arrogance and disdain instantly froze on his face.

He looked at the demonic Saber exuding an ominous Aura, and at Li Huowang's eyes burning with crazy Battle Intent, feeling a sense of unease in his heart.

This kid... something's not right!