Chapter 83: Fuming with Rage

That bastard might not have taken off his clothes, but how was that any different from using his clothes as a bag?

It was just as shameless!

And, where did he find the rope?

Why would there be rope in the Treasure Vault?

Who put it there?

If I found out, I would not let them off!

Looking at the Jade Boxes hung all over Ling Yi’s body, Feng Bubian felt as if his heart was bleeding.

And this little bastard had actually hidden inside and cultivated for three days!

What kind of petty, small-minded person who had never seen the world would do such a rotten thing?

Was this something a human would do?

Even if you were given three full days to absorb as much as you wanted, how much could you really take?

Wasn’t this just pure disgust?

Forget it, forget it. After all, he had found a loophole. It would have been troublesome if he wasn’t allowed to take away any good stuff at all.

Feng Bubian decided that out of sight was out of mind. Seeing Ling Yi come out, he said with a fake smile, “Young Master Ling is truly clever!”

Ling Yi gave a somewhat embarrassed smile. “Sect Leader Feng is the clever one. How dare I compare my little tricks to yours?”

To hell with you!

I just want you to disappear now!

Hiding the pain in his heart, Feng Bubian said calmly, “Since Young Master Ling has finished choosing, I will have Elder Qian see you off the mountain.”

Ling Yi smiled. “That’s not necessary, it’s too formal! We’ll be good neighbors from now on, sending each other off is too much trouble. I’ll go back to my Grotto Abode first, then leave on my own.”

Damn it, are you still not done?

Feng Bubian looked at Ling Yi. If he wasn’t afraid of the Formation Array, he would have turned hostile right then.

“A Grotto Abode that has nothing, the conditions are so poor. Could Young Master Ling endure such hardship?” The Golden Body disciple beside Feng Bubian was also infuriated. He couldn’t help asking sarcastically.

When the master was insulted, his follower should be willing to die. It wasn’t suitable for his master to turn hostile, but he had no such concerns.

Feng Bubian frowned and scolded, “How are you speaking to Young Master Ling?”

Ling Yi just smiled. “It’s fine. I don’t bother arguing with a child.”

That Golden Body Realm disciple nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood. Who the hell is a child? My own children are older than you!

Ling Yi looked at Feng Bubian and said seriously, “That Grotto Abode is my home. Elder Qian is my sister. Naturally, I will come back to visit often. My sister is too honest and straightforward, so she easily offends people. I need to come back to check once in a while and see if any of you are bullying her.”

Feng Bubian thought, I’d bully your grandma! From top to bottom in this whole Sect, who would dare bully her?

That Formation Array was incredibly powerful, activated with a single thought. Even someone at Peak Dao-Entry like Lian Ziqing was killed. Who would be so full as to provoke her in the future?

“Young Master Ling’s words are wrong. Elder Qian is a member of our Heaven’s Gate Sect’s Council of Elders. How could she be bullied?” Feng Bubian said indifferently.

“That’s good.” Ling Yi nodded, showing a relieved smile.

Having thoroughly disgusted Feng Bubian, Ling Yi smiled at Qian Luoying standing to the side. “Let’s go, Sis.”

Qian Luoying nodded softly. “Let’s go.”

After Ling Yi and Qian Luoying left, Feng Bubian’s face immediately turned dark. He ordered the guarding disciples to go in and take inventory.

Even though everyone saw Ling Yi take out a valuable sword and over ten very expensive medicinal herbs, someone had still entered the Treasure Vault, so a count had to be done.

Otherwise, even he being the Sect Leader could easily invite criticism.

What if someone said he took the chance to falsify the report and line his own pockets? How disgusting would that be?

Not long after the disciples entered, exclamations came from inside the Treasure Vault-

“God damn it, why are there so many fewer weapons?”

“Oh heavens, what the hell happened… Our top-grade medicinal herbs, Demon Beast blood, ores… How are they all gone?”

“The Spirit Stones… The count for Spirit Stones here is wrong too!”

“Was this robbed?”

“That man must have a Storage Artifact!”

As the angry, tearful exclamations rose and fell inside, Feng Bubian’s heart felt like it was bungee jumping. It dropped instantly.

Even though he still didn’t know what the problem was, he understood very clearly: He had been tricked by that little bastard!

He fell for his trap!

Inside the Grotto Abode, Qian Luoying looked at the string of Jade Boxes on Ling Yi’s body and couldn’t help but laugh. “I can’t believe you thought of that.”

Ling Yi grinned. “I had no choice. Look at the clothes they sent me. They don’t even have pockets. Clearly, they didn’t want me to take anything.”

Qian Luoying glanced and smiled, shaking her head. “But you’re really something. Your eye is sharp too. The things you picked are all the best.”

Ling Yi smiled, thinking there were even better ones!

But he didn’t plan to tell this silly sister. Otherwise, that old scoundrel Feng Bubian would definitely trick it out of her.

When Feng Bubian brought this matter up later, the uninformed silly sister would definitely argue with reason.

Then this matter… most likely would land on Feng Bubian’s head!

He had to take the blame whether he wanted to or not!

The elders in the Council of Elders who already disliked Feng Bubian would definitely not miss such a good chance to attack him.

They would definitely suspect that Feng Bubian took the chance to line his own pockets!

Just like when a bank that was robbed of two million silver reported a loss of two hundred million…

“This time when you leave, you probably won’t be back for a long time, right?”

After a moment of silence, Qian Luoying asked in a somewhat low voice.

Deep down, she was very grateful to Ling Yi.

The experiences of these recent days, though short, were too brilliant and would last her a lifetime.

Especially that half-step Cultivation Method; she even felt that even without the second half, this Cultivation Method was enough for her to cultivate to Peak Dao-Entry.

Ling Yi thought for a moment. “It’s hard to say. Actually, I’ve already entered the Golden Body Realm…”

Qian Luoying’s face was full of shock. She stared at Ling Yi for a long time, then shook her head with a bitter smile, sighing with emotion. “Such talent… is terrifying.”

“So I may need to go many places to search for materials to temper my Golden Body. If the process goes smoothly, it might take a few years; if not so smooth…”

Ling Yi said with a smile, “Then there’s no telling how long it will take. But during that time, I will find time to come back and visit Sis.”

Qian Luoying said, “The Heaven’s Gate Sect’s vault actually has quite a few materials for tempering the Golden Body. It depends on what kind of Golden Body Method you are learning. As a member of the Council of Elders, I get a monthly…”

Ling Yi shook his head, interrupting her. “Sis, your own cultivation resources aren’t enough. Don’t worry about me. Besides, Yun Tong and Yunwu also need a lot of resources for their training. Don’t worry about me. I’ll manage on my own.”

Qian Luoying sighed softly and nodded, looking at Ling Yi. “Meeting you is the fortune of three lifetimes for me.”

Ling Yi finally left the Heaven’s Gate Sect.

The over ten Jade Boxes filled the large backpack completely.

As for that Storage Artifact made of Starstone, it was naturally also tossed into the large backpack, showing no trace at all.

The earlier suitcase was empty and Ling Yi simply left it there.

Outside the Heaven’s Gate Sect’s mountain gate.

A faint trace of wistfulness lingered in Qian Luoying’s eyes.

Jiang Yuntong looked reluctant, while Mo Yunwu couldn’t help but redden her eyes.

“Uncle, when will you come back?”

Ling Yi smiled and said, “I’ll probably come back around the time you enter the Meridian Opening Realm!”

“Really?”

“Really. As Children of the Jianghu, we never speak falsely.”

Ling Yi waved his hand, taking away his eldest niece’s longing… and also that enormous pile of treasures.

Heaven’s Gate Sect.

The Council Hall.

Dozens of sect elders had gathered together.

Today was the first high-level meeting of Heaven’s Gate Sect since Feng Bubian became the Sect Leader.

This wasn’t a sudden decision; it had been scheduled earlier but delayed for two days—originally planned to be held right after Ling Yi was gone. Who would have thought that bastard would hide inside the sect’s Treasure Vault and cultivate for three days…

Feng Bubian had initially mocked Ling Yi for being too petty, but in the end, it almost made him spit blood in anger.

But he had to talk about this matter, so he decided to address it now.

Otherwise, once those absent old-timers from the Council of Elders recovered from their injuries and returned, it would definitely become another huge mess.

Actually, talking about it now… was also very troublesome.

Originally, the Council of Elders, including Qian Luoying, had nine elders. Now, with Feng Bubian rising to Sect Leader, eight remained.

Four of them were recuperating from injuries.

Thus, the only Council of Elders members present in the Council Hall today were Qian Luoying and three others.

Under normal circumstances, these three other elders should have been on Feng Bubian’s side.

Especially during the Sect Leader election, these three Council of Elders elders had chosen to support Feng Bubian.

But the reality wasn’t that simple.

Their earlier choice to support Feng Bubian wasn’t because they admired or respected him greatly; it was more because they didn’t want Lian Ziqing’s faction to continue controlling the sect!

If Qian Luoying had run for election, they definitely wouldn’t have chosen Feng Bubian.

Since they themselves lacked the ability to take the position, they had to settle for the next best option.

So, this was a loose, temporary alliance.

If nothing happened, it would be fine. But once something occurred, there would be little fundamental difference between them and those four injured elders who were Lian Ziqing’s close confidants.

Sure enough, when Feng Bubian mentioned the losses from the Treasure Vault, Qian Luoying was the first to stand up, angrily scolding him for talking nonsense!

“Sect Leader, isn’t this slander?”

Qian Luoying was already feeling a faint reluctance over Ling Yi’s departure. Now, seeing the Sect Leader so eagerly slandering her brother, she immediately became furious.

“Before Ling Yi entered the Treasure Vault, didn’t he go to you to bathe and change clothes?”

Feng Bubian nodded somewhat helplessly. “Yes, but…”

“The clothes you prepared for him, didn’t they not even have any pockets?”

“Yes, but…”

“Didn’t he enter the Treasure Vault empty-handed, accompanied by your disciple?”

“Yes…”

Qian Luoying glared at Feng Bubian. “Then how can you claim he took away a large amount of top-tier treasures from the Treasure Vault? And how can you claim that so many Spirit Stones were consumed by him? How did he consume them? By eating them raw?”

This last statement was truly a bit of brazen lying.

Others might not know, but how could she not?

The number of Spirit Stones Feng Bubian just mentioned was astonishing, even more unbelievable than what Qian Luoying had previously understood.

But similarly, since Ling Yi’s cultivation had improved, his consumption naturally increased.

However, she would definitely not say this out loud.

Just like her self-awareness, she had selfish motives; she wasn’t a saint!

If all these messy things hadn’t happened, she might have chosen to stand with the sect.

But at this moment, she only wanted to hide all of Ling Yi’s secrets.

Everyone watched Qian Luoying’s flushed, angry face and couldn’t help but nod inwardly.

Although people had previously suspected something between the two, Elder Qian’s three oaths had shattered all the rumors.

Now, even though she was speaking up for Ling Yi, she also voiced what most people present were thinking.

Another Council of Elders elder looked at Feng Bubian and said gravely, “Sect Leader, regarding this matter, it’s not that we don’t believe what you say, but it’s just too bizarre, isn’t it? You admitted yourself that Ling Yi indeed entered the Treasure Vault empty-handed. After he came out, he only tied a dozen or so Jade Boxes containing precious medicinal herbs with a rope and took a single sword… we received news about that too. But all those other things…”

Feng Bubian glanced at him. “Entries and exits from the Treasure Vault are all recorded. From beginning to end, I never set foot inside the Treasure Vault. Before Ling Yi entered, everything was there. After he left, they were gone… If he didn’t take them, could it be that I took them?”

Another elder suddenly spoke slowly. “Sect Leader, if I recall correctly, the disciples guarding the Treasure Vault… should be your people, right?”

Qian Luoying frowned slightly, then looked at Feng Bubian. “Is that true? Weren’t they previously Sect Leader Lian Ziqing’s disciples?”

That elder said with a smile, “Elder Qian naturally wouldn’t pay attention to such matters. In fact, on the very night Sect Leader Lian died, right after the voting for Sect Leader Feng ended, the people guarding the Treasure Vault were quickly replaced.”

Qian Luoying snorted through her nostrils and looked at Feng Bubian. “Since the replacements were your people, there must have been an inventory check during the handover, right?”

“I…”

No matter how eloquent Feng Bubian was, faced with this ironclad fact, he couldn’t say no.

At this moment, what he hated most was why his trusted disciples had been so impatient?

Now, even if he had a hundred mouths, he couldn’t explain this clearly!

Seeing Feng Bubian speechless, Qian Luoying sneered. “So, I think the Sect Leader should question his own disciples properly. It was agreed that once he handed over the method to control the Formation Array, he could enter the Treasure Vault and take whatever he wanted. Yet, there was bathing and changing clothes, not even leaving him a single pocket on his person. And now you even try to throw dirt on him… Our Heaven’s Gate Sect may not be a top-tier cultivation sect, but when did we become so despicable and filthy?”

After saying this, Qian Luoying stood up and walked straight out. “From now on, deliver resources to my peak on schedule. Don’t bother me unless it’s necessary!”

Bang!

The heavy door of the Council Hall was slammed shut.

The other three Council of Elders elders also rose one after another. They all gave Feng Bubian meaningful looks as they passed by him.

“Ah.”

Each let out a sigh and simply left!

Feng Bubian sat with an ugly expression in the leader’s seat. His first high-level meeting as Sect Leader had ended in such an almost absurd manner.

A mouthful of old blood was stuck in his throat. This feeling of being wronged made Feng Bubian fume with anger.

“Meeting adjourned!”

He said coldly, watching as the sect elders filed out, as quiet as cicadas in winter.

Finally, only a few of his own people remained in the Council Hall.

Feng Bubian let out a breath and muttered, “I finally understand now why the founding emperors in the mortal world, once they secured their power, first killed their meritorious officials.”

As he spoke, a mouthful of blood suddenly sprayed out.

This frightened his close confidants in the Council Hall, their faces turning pale.

“Sect Leader, what’s wrong?”

“Are you alright?”

“Quick, get medicine… get medicine now!”

Amidst the flurry of activity, they thought to themselves: The boss says he wants to kill his meritorious officials?