A little baby, as round and smooth as a pearl, sat at the edge of a cloud, her lotus-root-like little legs swinging back and forth, as carefree as if she were sitting in a small boat.
Behind her knelt a cool, distant young man.
The young man wore a sky-blue star-patterned Daoist robe, his eyes half-closed, giving off an ethereal air, yet he treated the little baby before him with complete respect.
“Hmph, who knows what kind of tricks some Heavenly Lord is playing behind my back again.
Once your master returns to the mountain, I will definitely storm up to the nine hundred and ninety-ninth heaven and demand an explanation!”
Fuxi, the Heavenly Lord, who had finally enjoyed a few hours of peace, sneezed violently right there in the celestial palace.
It startled all the immortal elders who had come to listen to his teachings.
Heavenly Lord Fuxi: Please, give me a break!
The little baby was fuming as she spoke, so she casually grabbed a clump of cloud, squished it into a ball, and threw it down.
Cloud: ?
You’re venting your own anger, why are you grabbing me?
That hurts so much!
The young Daoist behind her pressed his lips together in a soft smile. “Master, listen. All the senior disciples have started arguing.”
The little baby gave a cold snort and stopped talking, but her ears perked up, listening carefully to the commotion below.
To say she wasn’t tempted by five million taels would be a lie.
Last time, for one hundred thousand taels, a few of her disciples nearly came to blows.
And it was all thanks to her that the problem was nipped in the bud, right?
But after all, she was their master. She couldn’t exactly lower herself in front of mortals just for some spirit stones, could she?
She could just wait until the disciples got the money and then snatch it from them.
A master snatching from their disciples—it’s only right and proper!
“Master, Wumian came to tip you off right away this time. Don’t forget my contribution, please!”
The little baby giggled. “Don’t worry, I won’t forget to reward you.”
Inside the tent, the group was fiercely arguing over how to split the five million taels.
Daoist Flowing Fire was the first to object. “Why do I get the least?
Didn’t I do my part just now?”
Third Senior Brother, Daoist Cangzhou, gave a cold laugh. “Who told you to be so rude to our junior disciple’s wife? Be grateful you’re getting anything at all.”
Flowing Fire got even angrier. His short hair was now completely standing on end, perfectly illustrating the phrase ‘so angry his hair stood on end’.
“Wasn’t it you guys who told me to play the bad cop while you played the good cops?
Now you’re all blaming me?
Do you think I wanted to get mad at our junior disciple’s wife?”
“Would you just shut up already!”
Daoist Zhuihua clamped a hand over Flowing Fire’s mouth and dragged him into a corner.
Daoist Fuhai and Seventh Senior Brother, Daoist Xianye, exchanged a glance and silently walked over behind their Senior Master.
Seeing Second Senior Brother, Daoist Feiguang, open his mouth, the two quickly stepped in front and said in unison:
“Stop arguing, fellow disciples. Let’s listen to our Senior Master!”
Daoist Feiguang turned back in shock: Hey, those are my lines!
Senior Master Konghe cleared his throat softly, and everyone in the tent fell silent.
He too cherished his reputation and couldn’t bring himself to bicker. He simply said quietly:
“Each of you, state your case to Young Lady Yun. Feiguang, you go first.”
Daoist Feiguang cleared his throat. “I only need four million taels.”
The rest of the group was stunned: Okay, okay, so we’re bidding price down, are we? We can do that too!
Daoist Cangzhou immediately followed up: “I’ll take three million taels!”
Daoist Zhuihua rolled his eyes at him and said gently, “I’ll also take three million taels, but I’ll throw in a pot of elixirs for our junior disciple’s wife.”
When he said that, the remaining Daoists’ minds started working overtime.
The price didn’t drop any further, but the add-ons kept piling up.
When it came to Daoist Flowing Fire, he ground his teeth and said, “Three million taels, plus a pot of elixirs, a magic tool, a stack of talismans, ten formation plates, and I’ll even teach you the Soul Summoning Art!”
That earned him sideways glances from all his senior brothers.
Jiang Xingyan suddenly realized someone was missing.
“May I ask where Young Master Yun’s Sixth Senior Brother is?”
Seventh Senior Brother, Daoist Xianye, chuckled softly. “If you want to see him, just look at me.
He and I are twins. He is my younger brother, but also my senior brother, named Wumian.
He’s usually as indifferent as a chrysanthemum blossom, scorns to fight with us, so he didn’t come this time either.”
Jiang Xingyan felt a bit dizzy: How do you two even address each other normally?
“You misunderstand, senior brothers. There’s no way I’d let you make a trip for nothing.
Please wait just a moment.”
Jiang Xingyan stepped out of the tent, summoned Xia Feng, and had her take out the banknotes from Shangguan Hanshan’s pouch. She also added some from her own little treasury, then neatly divided them into nine red envelopes.
The first eight red envelopes each contained two hundred thousand taels in banknotes, and the last one contained four hundred thousand taels.
She placed them on a tray and carried it inside.
Jiang Xingyan respectfully handed each senior brother a red envelope with both hands.
“It’s so late, thank you all for your hard work, senior brothers.
Once I get my soul swapped back, I will definitely throw a grand banquet and invite you all to drink until we’re thoroughly drunk.”
Each Daoist, upon receiving the red envelope, was completely dumbfounded.
Two hundred thousand taels!
Totally worth it!
“This is a token of my respect for your master, the elder.
I’d trouble you, senior brothers, to kindly present it to him. It’s a small gesture from Xingyan.”
Up above on the cloud, Daoist Wumian, for the first time, had a look of regret in his ethereal eyes.
“Master, I want to go down and claim my share.”
The round, tender little baby rolled her eyes at him. “Such a lack of ambition!
Won’t it all be mine in a little while anyway?”
She felt even more satisfied with Jiang Xingyan in her heart: As expected of the person her most beloved disciple had set his sights on.
Quite generous with her money indeed!
The senior brothers stiffly bid farewell to Jiang Xingyan and Yun Chunfeng.
None of them had expected that this junior disciple’s wife would be so forthcoming with her wealth.
“Senior Brother, don’t you think… what we left for them was a bit too little?”
Senior Master Konghe’s hand trembled as he stroked his beard. “It’s… it’s fine. There will be other days.”
After seeing off the senior brothers, Jiang Xingyan finally had a moment to properly look at Yun Chunfeng, who seemed completely reborn.
Yun Chunfeng’s face was flushed red as he said bashfully, “My lady, I—”
Jiang Xingyan placed her index finger to her lips. “Shh. I know the Soul Summoning Art now too.
Young Master Yun. See you in my dreams.”
