Chapter 102: The Joy of Reaping Benefits Over Time

Only now did Master Liuguang recall the words Yun Jingzi had spoken to him earlier. It seemed that after Wang Li was expelled from the Chosen Relic World, he had forcibly infiltrated it again, with the aim of obtaining the Sacred Artifact for Ling Xiao. He himself cared little for the Sacred Artifact; what truly concerned him was that Wang Li had managed to forcibly penetrate the Chosen Relic!

One must understand: since the beginning of the Chosen Trials, more than one or two powerful figures had attempted to enter the small world where the Chosen Relic resided, yet none succeeded. Even his own master had failed after trying. But Wang Li had done it. What did this imply? It meant either Wang Li’s strength far exceeded that of a True Immortal, or he possessed a high-level Sacred Artifact superior to the Pure Yang Bell and the Free Sky Tome. Whichever the case, Wang Li was a presence they could not ignore.

Suddenly, Master Liuguang realized that merely by participating in the Chosen Trials, Wang Li was already on equal footing with these titans. Containing his anger, he patted Jiang Yue’s back to comfort her and then looked toward Wang Li. “Fellow Daoist, now that the Chosen Trials have ended and you have returned, our agreement should be fulfilled.” Wang Li nodded in agreement. “Naturally. Please, everyone, wait here a moment.” After speaking, he turned and retreated into the quiet chamber.

The assembled titans, watching him leave, turned their gazes to Master Liuguang. “Ha! Everyone, our deal has been delayed for so many years. Today, it seems we are finally to see it through.” Liuguang chuckled, “If you all must leave, I must admit I’m quite reluctant.” “Hmph!” The Immortal Ling Xiao snorted lightly. “I’d sooner keep my distance from you!” Master Liuguang replied, “Brother Daoist, remember to bring the eggs of the Scarlet Vermilion Bird. If I’m not mistaken, those eggs are about to hatch, yes? And the Dragon Elephant Turtle— that glutton has eaten at your Beast Master Sect for eight years. It’s time to let it return home; the Pure Yang Temple can easily care for it.” His words carried a sting, causing Ling Xiao’s expression to darken.

Naturally, they must treat Wang Li as an equal. The titans reached a consensus: no matter what, the benefits owed to Wang Li could not be diminished, even if it meant sacrificing a single spirit stone to demonstrate their stance. They had not waited long before Wang Li reappeared. “Sect Leader, fellow Daoists, let’s move to another place. This is Jiang Yue’s boudoir...” The group nodded in agreement. Indeed, it was inappropriate. A group of titans conducting business before a young lady’s door was hardly proper.

Jiang Yue blushed faintly, mentally grumbling, “So you do remember this is my chamber...” She bowed politely as the titans departed, then slipped outside to find Yun Jingzi. Holding leverage in her hands, it was time to squeeze some benefits from him.

Within the Sect Leader’s Hall, Wang Li handed over the audio players and a thousand recording cards, forged by Master Sheng, to Liu Wanjin, who had been waiting for some time. Liu Wanjin’s expression was complicated as he exchanged looks with Wang Li. Under Master Liuguang’s arrangement, the audio players and cards were distributed to the leaders of each sect.

Master Liuguang had not disclosed how many were crafted; Wang Li had based the quantity on the Pure Yang Temple’s scripture collection. He had commissioned Master Sheng to produce five hundred audio players, of which one hundred forty and a thousand cards were given to Liu Wanjin. Each sect would receive twenty players, sufficient for them to pass down their core cultivation methods smoothly. The cards were enough for Pure Yang Temple to record core techniques for other sects.

As for the other cultivation methods? That was easy. Pure Yang Temple openly rented out the audio players, charging once for each technique recorded. Rest assured, the price was reasonable, ensuring everyone would willingly pay. This was the essence of a steady, long-term flow.

“Fellow Daoists, these are recording cards for the ‘Thunderous Justice’ series. Please try them out; consider it a small token of my goodwill.” Wang Li smiled as he handed the cards to the titans. Courtesy is never excessive, and even when extracting benefits, one must soothe the source! To reap rewards long-term, one must maintain a good relationship with the provider—it makes the gains all the more pleasant.

Moreover, since the ‘Thunderous Justice’ series had already been disseminated, Wang Li’s gesture was a form of waste reutilization. Yet the titans saw it differently. To them, Wang Li’s act was noble; they hadn’t even asked, and he had proactively offered it. That was called being considerate. Thus, they found it hard to begrudge Pure Yang Temple’s ongoing “exploitation.” They took it as compensation for Wang Li.

Having finalized transactions with the various sects, Master Liuguang felt he had resolved a major matter and his mood brightened considerably. He then began discussing the final outcome of the Chosen Trials with Wang Li. Wang Li did not conceal anything and revealed the matter of the Cause-Slaying Sword.

He was not worried about tempting the other titans; in fact, he rather hoped they would seek Ling Xiao and take that troublesome artifact away. Still, he warned, “Though the Cause-Slaying Sword is a meritorious Sacred Artifact, it is also a source of calamity. Please consider carefully whether you pursue that elusive power or choose steady cultivation.”

With that, he fell silent. He had fulfilled his duty to warn; their choices no longer concerned him.