This Sect is Too Ruthless

When Chu Xingchen returned, he saw Yuan Kong standing dejectedly by the pond, his head lowered, holding a piece of candied fruit that must have been given by Chen Baiqing.

Chen Baiqing was sitting by the pond reading a book, though he seemed uninterested in engaging with the little monk.

Chu Xingchen asked curiously, "What brings you here?"

Yuan Kong turned around and, recognizing Chu Xingchen, replied frankly,

"Senior Brother wants your relic and asked me to come talk to you."

Chu Xingchen nodded in understanding but said nothing further, striding directly toward the main hall instead.

Pushing open the hall doors, he saw Li Yingling sitting with her head lowered in silence, while Yuan Jing beside her wore a regretful expression.

Clearly, the negotiation had fallen through.

At the sound of the doors opening, both turned their gazes toward him.

Li Yingling promptly stood up, yielding her seat to Chu Xingchen.

Stepping forward, Chu Xingchen used his spiritual energy to close the doors behind him before addressing Yuan Jing:

"Yuan Kong told me—you want the relic of the Buddha?"

Yuan Jing tapped the handwritten scripture on the table. "I am willing to exchange it for the supreme Buddhist heart sutra of the Central Plains' monastic order."

Chu Xingchen frowned slightly. A top-tier Buddhist heart sutra?

What use did he have for such a thing?

After taking the seat at the head of the table, he decisively refused:

"We have no need for this. For one, it holds little significance—I have no plans to open a temple, nor would I recruit only monks just for this sutra."

"Secondly, Abbot, I assume you’re acting on your own authority here? Why would I risk drawing the attention of the Central Plains' monastic order for something I don’t even want?"

"Unless you think I’d value it as a mere collector’s item?"

Yuan Jing smiled bitterly—Li Yingling’s earlier refusal had been much the same.

"The benefactor speaks wisely… Then perhaps you could tell this humble monk what you desire instead?"

Chu Xingchen pondered briefly before countering, "Why don’t you first explain what you need the relic for?"

Yuan Jing pressed his palms together. "The relic is bone; the Buddha’s heart is the mind. To replace bone with heart—to reshape one’s foundation."

"Quite the ambitious endeavor, Abbot. But Yuan Kong seems to want you to live well. Why drag him into this mess? Why not use the Buddha’s heart to extend your own life and spend more time with him?"

"He has no time left!"

Yuan Jing met Chu Xingchen’s gaze calmly. "If Yuan Kong does not embark on the path of cultivation now, he will never have another chance."

"How so?" Chu Xingchen pressed.

"This humble monk cannot say, but such is the truth. A monk does not speak falsely."

There were likely deeper circumstances at play, but it seemed inappropriate to probe further.

Chu Xingchen gave a slight nod before stating, "When I first inquired, the market price for a Bodhisattva’s relic was around thirty thousand spirit stones. As a courtesy to an abbot, I’ll offer twenty-five thousand. How does that sound?"

Yuan Jing remained composed—the price was indeed generous.

But Zen Forest Temple could never afford such a sum…

If he had that many spirit stones, he wouldn’t be offering a sutra in the first place.

With sincerity, Yuan Jing replied,

"At present, we cannot gather so much. The temple can only scrape together a thousand spirit stones at most. However, Yuan Kong can take responsibility for the remaining debt. As the chosen one of Buddha, his cultivation will at least reach the Nascent Soul stage in the future. He will surely repay you."

"If the benefactor is willing to part with it, my junior brother will owe you a favor and repay it in kind."

Had it not been for his system, this might have held some weight.

But now, with three disciples under his wing—each no less talented than Yuan Kong—by the time the latter reached Nascent Soul, Chu Xingchen himself would likely be preparing for the Heavenly Tribulation. Would he still lack spirit stones then?

Still, these artifacts weren’t easy to sell. Back when Li Xingtian was still around, Chu Xingchen had tried peddling them, but the offers were always insultingly low.

The items might as well have been stamped "Buddhist Order Exclusive." The Central Plains' monastic order, widely disdained, seemed to have adopted a defiant attitude.

When outsiders possessed Buddhist treasures, the order wouldn’t outright seize them, but they’d certainly interrogate the origins.

And truthfully, most relics in circulation had dubious backgrounds.

Since the offers fell far short of his expectations, Chu Xingchen had kept them—better to use them as decorations to elevate his sect’s prestige than let unscrupulous merchants swindle him.

"The difficulty of worldly affairs lies in this: you have your struggles, and I have mine. But these terms are insufficient."

Chu Xingchen sighed softly before shifting the topic:

"I’ve heard the Abbot holds considerable renown in Yuzhou City and its neighboring towns?"

Yuan Jing was taken aback but answered,

"This humble monk has earned some goodwill, yes."

"My sect plans to hold a disciple recruitment ceremony. Perhaps the Abbot could help spread the word? Also… you might be wealthier than you think."

Yuan Jing stared at him in surprise before hastily rising to press his palms together.

"Many thanks, Benefactor—"

"Wait, you’re thanking me too soon. Yingling, fetch some paper. I’d like to discuss a few additional conditions with the Abbot."

Half an hour later, the hall doors creaked open once more.

Yuan Jing's face was heavy with gloom, not a trace of joy in his expression as he walked out with slow, measured steps.

Yuan Kong looked up and saw his senior brother's expression—it was clear the negotiation had fallen through.

Yet, deep down, he felt a wave of relief. Failure was for the best; at least this way, his senior brother would live many more years.

Yuan Kong hurried over to Yuan Jing, supporting him by the arm.

The two walked out in silence.

Only when they were well out of earshot did Yuan Kong notice Yuan Jing casting a sorrowful gaze his way.

"Senior Brother, I'm fine. I’ve always been lazy anyway—if I can’t cultivate, so be it!"

"You're fine?! You’re not fine at all!" Yuan Jing took a deep breath and shook his head quietly. "Let’s go. My heart aches too much right now!"

It was ruthless—utter price gouging!

This was the first time Yuan Jing realized just how wealthy he truly was.

That contract he’d just signed might as well have demanded his next life too!

At least Yuan Kong had only lost half his lifetime—still better than losing it all.

This sect… was downright predatory!

Yuan Kong stared blankly at his senior brother’s flustered, exasperated expression.

He remembered how, before leaving, Yuan Jing had assured him that even if things fell through, he wouldn’t lose his temper—even going so far as to lecture him on the virtues of patience.

Yuan Kong had found the reasoning quite sound at the time.

Yet here they were, with his senior brother fuming.

Turns out, you can’t always trust what senior brothers say.

Sect Main Hall.

Li Yingling couldn’t help but shake her head as she looked down at the contract in her hands—all six or seven pages of it.

As expected of her master. She was still too naive.

This thing was harsher than a slave contract!

How did her master even come up with this?

Chu Xingchen stretched contentedly, then turned his gaze to his eldest disciple.

"Yingling, I’ve already spoken with the Demon Suppression Bureau. Have you finalized your… trial plans?"

Li Yingling nodded confidently. "Almost done. I’ll present the detailed proposal tomorrow night! I guarantee this Trial Conference will be spectacular!"

"Good. But if your proposal contains any monstrously absurd ideas…"

"You’ll be rewarded with a Tenfold Supreme Elixir—personally refined by your master!"

Li Yingling sucked in a sharp breath.

Instantly, she mentally deleted a third of the content from her draft.