If only Master were here; given his friendship with Li Yunchen, he might have been able to secure an extension of a fortnight or so. But now that Master has abandoned the Changsheng Sect, how could they, a few young juniors, possibly persuade Li Yunchen to show mercy?
Truth be told, every disciple of the Changsheng Sect knew deep down that this day would come. It was just that now that it had actually arrived, it was harder to bear than they had imagined.
Li Feng had two plans in mind. First: stall for time. Second: move. Whether for the sake of the original owner’s dying wish or simply because he needed a stable base to get his bearings in this new world, Li Feng could not afford to lose the Changsheng Valley. Remaining in this valley was the best option; if he truly could not convince Li Yunchen, then moving would be their only choice.
Li Feng stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Senior Li, could we speak in private for a moment?"
As a modern man, Li Feng knew well that there was no such thing as an impossible deal—only a price that hadn't been negotiated correctly. There were things that couldn't be said in front of the others, so he needed a private word with Li Yunchen.
Li Yunchen had lived for hundreds of years; what hadn't he seen? He realized instantly that this pale-faced chief disciple of the Changsheng Sect wanted to talk terms. He hesitated, then gave a slight nod, signaling his own disciples to wait in the valley.
Li Feng led Li Yunchen to a quiet corner of the valley.
"Junior Nephew Li," Li Yunchen said, "what is it you wish to tell me? You know the rules of Tianyu Mountain as well as I do. Without the spirit crystals for the tribute, there is nothing to discuss."
Li Feng nodded. "The rules have stood for centuries and must not be broken. I only hope that Senior might grant me an extra half-month."
"Junior Nephew, you put me in a very difficult position."
Li Yunchen’s words were worth savoring. He hadn't flatly said "impossible," but rather that he was in a "difficult position." Having spent years navigating the trials of modern life, Li Feng knew perfectly well that Li Yunchen was waiting for him to name his price.
*What "desireless cultivator"? Just as greedy as any ordinary person... pfft.* Li Feng muttered inwardly.
He pondered for a moment and said, "Naturally, I would not make things difficult for you, Senior. The Changsheng Sect owes three hundred spirit crystals to the Yunhai Sect annually. In half a month, I will give you five hundred. If I fail to keep my word, you won't need to come and collect—I will take my juniors and leave Tianyu Mountain of my own accord."
The corner of Li Yunchen’s mouth twitched with disdain. "Do you think I care about a mere two hundred spirit crystals?"
"Of course not," Li Feng replied, shaking his head immediately. "After all, Junior Brother Guo walked out of the Changsheng Sect to join your school; it is his fortune, and a blessing for us as well. Moreover, the Changsheng Sect was once one of the top ten immortal sects of the Mortal World. We fell into this state only because we sacrificed ourselves to save the world, and we still hold some reputation among the common people. If Senior were to show us leniency, the world would surely be deeply impressed by your virtue."
Li Yunchen’s expression shifted slightly. He seemed to be re-evaluating the young man before him. He was indeed swayed. If Li Feng managed to cough up five hundred crystals in half a month, he would make a tidy profit of two hundred. If Li Feng broke his word, he could still walk away with a reputation for being a charitable senior who cared for the destitute—a win-win situation.
Of course, he had other plans as well. Many others were eyeing this valley, including the Xiaoyao Sword Sect, the Yipin Sect, and the Tianlong Temple, all of whom were salivating over this land. He could use this half-month to line his own pockets for his retirement.
After a moment of silence, Li Yunchen said, "You know that although this valley is small, it is rich in spiritual energy. Several nearby sects have been wanting to claim it for their own, and they have offered even higher prices. It is only because I hold your master in high regard that I have been helping the Changsheng Sect in secret all this time. I, too, do not wish to see a sect that was once the leader of the Mortal World vanish entirely. Very well, I shall cover this payment of three hundred spirit crystals for you today. I will return in half a month. If you cannot produce five hundred, do not blame me for being unkind."
Li Feng bowed repeatedly in thanks. "There is no need for you to trouble yourself to return, Senior. In half a month, I shall go to Tongtian Peak myself to give you an answer."
Li Yunchen nodded slightly. Having settled the matter, he prepared to depart to collect rent from other sects, taking his disciples with him. Guo Sihai asked his master to go ahead, wishing to have a few words with his former brothers. Li Yunchen, being relatively open-minded, didn't make things difficult. "Sihai, don't delay too long. Meet me at the Xiaoyao Sword Sect later."
Guo Sihai nodded gratefully. Once the Yunhai Sect disciples had flown away, Yang Mo, Qi Shisan, and Situ Fuyao immediately swarmed Li Feng, chirping with questions about how he had managed to send the Yunhai Sect away.
"That's wonderful!" Situ Fuyao chirped happily. "We don't have to move! We can keep living here! Senior Brother, you’re amazing!"
"Senior Brother is truly a god among men!" Qi Shisan exclaimed. "I had already packed my things last night, convinced we'd be driven off the mountain today. I never expected you to resolve our crisis in just a few words! Please, accept my worship!"
"Senior Brother," Yang Mo, the second senior, chimed in, "you are the pillar of our Changsheng Sect! Your wisdom and talent are like the brightest stars in the night sky. My admiration for you is like a surging river, endless and—"
Li Feng cut their flattery short. "Don't be so happy yet. Li Yunchen only gave us half a month. In half a month, we must pay him five hundred spirit crystals. If we can't, we'll still be out on the street."
At these words, the three of them froze.
Qi Shisan looked crestfallen. "I knew it. How could Li Yunchen possibly let us off the hook? We couldn't even scrape together three hundred crystals in a year, how on earth are we supposed to give him five hundred in half a month? I think we should just pack up and go our separate ways. At least that way we won't be humiliated when they throw us out in front of everyone."
Seeing them deflate like punctured balloons, Li Feng said, "Don't be so pessimistic. Having an extra half-month is better than being driven out today, isn't it? Who knows? Maybe Master will return in a few days."
Yang Mo rolled his eyes. "Senior Brother, why are you still pinning your hopes on Master? He has already abandoned the Changsheng Sect... abandoned it!" He nearly roared the last word.
Just then, Guo Sihai walked over. "Senior Brother, Second Senior, Sixth Junior, Little Junior Sister... stop arguing. Fifth Junior is dead."
Guo Sihai's words stunned them into silence; it took a moment for the news to register.
***
Liu Fusheng, the fifth disciple, was twenty years old and hailed from the Northern Territory of the Jiulong Mainland. Unlike the others, who were all orphans, Liu Fusheng still had his parents, who owned a small plot of land. Whenever the Changsheng Sect had no food to eat, Liu Fusheng would return to his village to borrow money and bring back grain. If not for his help over the years, more than just Wangcai the dog would have starved to death.
It took a while for the others to regain their senses. "Third Brother, what nonsense are you spouting?" Qi Shisan shouted. "Fifth Junior went back to the village to borrow money, how could he be dead? You traitor, if you spread such rumors again, see if I don't beat you to death!"
Guo Sihai wore a sorrowful expression. "It's true. I received the news from the Yunhai Sect disciples yesterday. In order to earn enough spirit crystals for our tribute, Fifth Junior went into the Ten Thousand Demons Forest in the Northern Territory with a group of other cultivators. While they were hunting a thousand-year-old snake demon, he was swallowed by it. There was nothing left of him. This happened over half a month ago."
Tianyu Mountain was in the southwest of the Jiulong Mainland, thousands of miles away from the Ten Thousand Demons Forest. Because the Changsheng Sect was now in decline, they had no intelligence network in the Mortal World. While the Yunhai Sect was nowhere near as powerful as the Changsheng Sect of old, it was still a mid-sized sect with secret outposts and information networks in important locations. Consequently, they were far better informed.
The death of the Fifth Junior was a devastating blow to the already struggling sect. Everyone was plunged into deep grief. Situ Fuyao collapsed onto the ground, sobbing silently.
Guo Sihai sighed and turned to Li Feng. "Senior Brother, though I have switched to the Yunhai Sect, I grew up in the Changsheng Sect just like the rest of you. You might not like what I have to say, but I must say it. Master has abandoned the Changsheng Sect; what is the point of you holding on? The world is cruel, and the tide of time washes away everything. The current Changsheng Sect is not the sect of eight hundred years ago. Most of our cultivation techniques have been lost, to say nothing of our magical treasures—look at our weapons, which one of them can even be called a treasure? And there are so few of us left... With your cultivation, Senior Brother, you would surely find a better future if you joined a major sect and studied under a true master."
If it had been the old Senior Brother, he would have fiercely reprimanded Guo Sihai. But the body was now inhabited by Li Feng, who had traveled here from another world.
Li Feng nodded. "Third Brother, I understand what you mean. If it truly is the trend of the times, I will not swim against it. Go now, don't keep your master waiting."
Guo Sihai opened his mouth as if to say more, but in the end, he remained silent. He bowed to them and flew away.
The thin, three-inch-thick coffin they had prepared for Li Feng yesterday, along with the pit they hadn't yet filled, now had a purpose. Because the sect had been so hard up for years, everyone’s clothes were full of patches; they couldn't afford new ones. They found two sets of old rags in the Fifth Junior's room, placed them in the coffin along with some of his personal belongings, and buried it in the bamboo forest on the east side of the valley, right next to Wangcai's grave.
Qi Shisan split a piece of wood and used a brush to write on it: "Cenotaph of Liu Fusheng, forty-eighth generation disciple of the Changsheng Sect."
Li Feng had few memories of Liu Fusheng, only that whenever they were starving, it was always him who returned with food and money. Watching the Little Junior Sister crying her heart out, and seeing Yang Mo and Qi Shisan wailing before the grave, Li Feng felt a profound heaviness in his chest.
By the afternoon, the four of them returned to the valley. They hadn't eaten all day, and their stomachs were growling. Just as they were about to retreat to their rooms, Li Feng kept them back for a small meeting. The theme: The future development plan of the Changsheng Sect.
Li Feng was still too much of a stranger to this world. He had no idea how to earn spirit crystals, and although he had bought them a half-month, he had no plan for the five hundred crystals required. He wanted to pick their brains; perhaps together they could find a way out.
They lit a bonfire and sat on the ground, still dejected and spiritless from the death of their brother.
"The Changsheng Sect is at the end of its rope," Li Feng began. "No one can say for sure if Master and Mistress will return in half a month. We cannot pin all our hopes on them. We must find a way to earn the spirit crystals ourselves. Does anyone have any ideas?"
"I have no ideas," Yang Mo said. "Worst case, we just drift through the world."
"Five hundred spirit crystals," Qi Shisan said. "That's five thousand taels of silver. Even if we went out into the mortal world to haul cargo, we wouldn't make that much in half a month. We can't very well go out and rob people, can we?"
"Sixth Senior, what are you saying?" Situ Fuyao retorted. "We are the Changsheng Sect! How can we engage in petty thievery?"
Li Feng found it strange. They were all cultivators capable of Airborne Flight—how could they not scrape together a few thousand taels of silver? Even if the legitimate path failed, there were plenty of crooked ones. But now he understood. Even as they starved and faced death, they refused to do anything illegal, not only because they prided themselves on being disciples of the righteous path, but also because of the name "Changsheng Sect."
Though in decline, the sect had once been glorious, and they refused to stoop to dishonorable deeds. As a modern man, Li Feng didn't share this sense of "righteous" honor. He felt that if they took money from the wealthy and wicked, it wasn't the end of the world—it was just "robbing the rich to help the poor," just like in the movies.
Li Feng cleared his throat. "Let me say a few words. An enterprise—or rather, a sect—must first ensure its survival, and only then can it pursue development. Especially for an ancient, once-glorious sect like ours that has fallen on hard times, we must constantly innovate and reform during this process of survival, or we will be eliminated by the times."
The three juniors looked at him, completely bewildered. To them, Li Feng’s words sounded like gibberish.
"Senior Brother," Qi Shisan asked, "ever since you woke up, you've seemed so different. What is an 'enterprise'? What is 'reform,' 'innovation,' or 'survival'? What are you talking about?"
Li Feng explained, "It's simple. First, we must get the spirit crystals for the Yunhai Sect to ensure our survival. Once we solve the survival issue, we consider how to grow the sect. My plan is to triple the number of disciples in a year and increase it tenfold in five years..."
Li Feng suddenly realized his own words sounded familiar. He thought about it: wasn't this the exact kind of "empty promise" his previous boss used to feed him? He had only been here two days, and he was already becoming the person he used to despise!
***
As a modern man, Li Feng had an advanced way of thinking. As long as he could survive the immediate crisis, he was confident he could rebuild the Changsheng Sect within a few years. To him, sect development and corporate development were essentially the same.
A bit of hype, riding the latest trends, manufacturing the occasional big news to increase exposure—once the sect’s reputation was established, disciples would naturally come to learn. More people meant more money, and with money, the sect would grow.
All Li Feng lacked was time.
Just as he was painting these "big pictures" for his juniors, several streaks of light descended into the valley in the sunset glow. They were none other than the disciples of the Xiaoyao Sword Sect. There were four of them—two men and two women—dressed in dark blue robes, carrying shimmering immortal swords, their expressions arrogant.
The Xiaoyao Sword Sect was their neighbor, separated only by a single mountain. Unlike the weak Changsheng Sect, they had over three hundred disciples. They had always wanted to swallow up the land belonging to the Changsheng Sect, and there was constant friction between them. Because the strength gap was so vast, the Changsheng Sect had been bullied by them for years. It was, in fact, these very people who had beaten the original Li Feng to death.
The leader was a handsome youth of about twenty-seven or twenty-eight named Zhao Qi, the chief disciple of the Xiaoyao Sword Sect leader, Wan Yi.
He looked at the pale Li Feng and smiled. "Junior Brother Li, your cultivation is truly something. The last time our brothers were hunting in the mountains, we stumbled upon you, heavily injured and unconscious, and brought you back. We thought with injuries like those, you were as good as dead. I'm surprised to see you've actually recovered."
Four days ago, when Zhao Qi had brought him back, Li Feng had indeed been on the verge of death. Since waking, he hadn't mentioned how he was injured, and his juniors still thought he had been attacked by a beast.
Li Feng’s face darkened. "Zhao Qi, what are you doing here today?"
Zhao Qi laughed. "I heard from Uncle Li of the Yunhai Sect that your Changsheng Sect couldn't pay this year’s rent, and that he was generous enough to give you a half-month extension. Who doesn't know the state of your sect? Since even Sect Master Situ hasn't shown his face today, it's clear your luck has run out. You won't be able to come up with the tribute in half a month. Uncle Li has already promised my master that if you fail, this valley will be taken over by our Xiaoyao Sword Sect. We came tonight to survey the land so we can plan our future construction."
The three disciples behind him pulled out ropes and measuring sticks, pointing at the valley.
"Those bamboo huts are wretched. Are they for livestock? We'll have to tear them down and rebuild."
"We could build a guest pavilion here, and rows of brick houses along the cliffside over there..."
Seeing their actions, the Changsheng Sect disciples were furious.
"This is going too far!" Situ Fuyao cried out. "Our sect is still here, and you're already measuring the foundation? Have you no shame? Get out of Changsheng Valley, you are not welcome!"
Zhao Qi smiled. "Don't be angry, Fuyao. Being driven off Tianyu Mountain is only a matter of time. Given our acquaintance, once the Changsheng Sect collapses, you are all welcome to join our sect. It might be hard to become inner disciples, but there's plenty of room for outer chores."
"Go to hell!" Situ Fuyao snapped.
Qi Shisan joined in the cursing.
"Oh, come now," Zhao Qi said, "don't sell yourselves short. I’m sure you’d make excellent servants for chopping wood and feeding pigs!"
A supreme insult. A direct, doorstep humiliation. But for the Changsheng Sect, this was nothing new. In the last eight hundred years, they had moved seven or eight times, and every time, hadn't they been blocked at the door and humiliated?
Li Feng, however, was not as enraged as his juniors. He stepped forward. "Zhao Qi, there is still half a month left. Why are you so certain we can't pay the rent?"
Zhao Qi squinted, a smile on his lips. "You seem quite confident, Junior Brother. Are you really sure you can scrape together those spirit crystals in such a short time?"