Chapter 1134: I Want to Give It a Try (6k4, seeking monthly votes, two-in-one)

"Whether you become a dragon that flies in the sky or a worm that burrows into the ground, you should consider it carefully yourself. Alright, the opportunity is rare, and it hasn't been easy for you to meet your sister. This Elder won't disturb the two of you. I'll give Long Yao two days off. Once you have fulfilled your sibling bond, have her come to my cave dwelling to find me."

With Elder Yu's parting words echoing repeatedly in his mind, Lao Yingtian felt heavy-hearted. Stepping on the white jade bricks, he pulled Long Yao's hand and headed toward the Department of Revenue and Expenditure, his mind elsewhere.

The red clouds were dim.

"Brother, what kind of elder is Elder Yu?"

Long Yao skipped along.

The Heaven Fire Sect only knew because Liang Qu had come to the Heaven Fire Sect; news transmission had a delay, and the Shuyu Pavilion didn't understand it very well. Even when Long Yao went to the River God Sect, she discovered that the people of the River God Sect didn't actually know much about their own sect either. From beginning to end, everyone had only known each other for a few months, less than half a year, and they had muddled their way into becoming a Second-Rank Sect.

Everyone was as familiar as strangers.

There was also Xi Ziyu.

Young and inexperienced, it was said that she was Liang Qu's only personal disciple.

Even though her talent was mediocre and she wasn't even at the First Realm, she somehow managed to become the disciple of a great power, looking just like a stupid village kid who had stumbled upon a pile of dog shit.

"A quite formidable elder." Lao Yingtian thought for a moment and evaluated Liang Qu this way: "Although he is only Second-Rank, his methods are extremely formidable, and his background is mysterious. Besides his fish form, he has another ape form; I don't know which is his true body and which is the transformation. In the future, he might become a First-Rank Elder or a Grand Elder."

Letting his sister take him as a master naturally had its considerations.

A few months ago, Liang Qu emerged out of nowhere, incarnating as a Blood Ape great power, quickly defeating the Second-Rank Heaven Gate Sect's Cold Cicada great power, and subsequently joining the Heaven Fire Sect to become a Second-Rank Elder.

Coupled with the conversation just now, it refreshed Lao Yingtian's understanding once again.

Ambitious!

His methods, strength, and courage were all top-notch. The key was that he knew how to act like a fish, wasn't arrogant, didn't look down on people, and was even willing to lower his status to win over a Second-Rank disciple like him.

Such a person knew how to unite those around him and was even more likely to encounter noble people willing to help him. He naturally possessed centripetal force and would carve out a world for himself wherever he went.

It was nothing more than the influence of timing and luck, just a matter of high or low.

"Grand Elder?" Long Yao exclaimed.

"Mm, but that will be a long time from now. Promotion for elders in the Heaven Fire Sect isn't easy. One hundred years? Two hundred years? If you are willing to wait, you can wait. A master leads you through the door, but cultivation depends on the individual. If you cultivate well to the Fourth Realm, perhaps there is hope to see it."

"Brother, don't worry. I reached the Third Realm the year before last; I will definitely reach the Fourth Realm within fifty years."

"That couldn't be better."

"Why are you so distracted today? Are you even talking to me seriously? I saw you and Master Yu whispering outside just now. Did something happen?"

"Sigh, don't worry about adult matters, child. Come, let me take you to meet my..."

"... fellow disciples. If you encounter trouble one day and can't find me, you can find them. Later, I'll take you to see my master."

Lao Yingtian temporarily cast aside his distracting thoughts and led Long Yao into the Department of Revenue and Expenditure.

"Brother Yingtian!"

"Brother Yingtian is back?"

"Brother Yingtian, who is this young lady? Why have we never seen her? She is so beautiful; she wouldn't be Brother's Dao companion, would she?" A Third-Rank disciple with a good relationship in the Department of Revenue and Expenditure teased.

Long Yao blushed and hurriedly bowed to everyone: "Greetings, senior brothers. I am Long Yao, Brother Yingtian's sister."

"Today, I am fortunate to enter the Heaven Fire Sect's gate. Being new here, I ask for your future care."

"Wow!"

"So it's a sister."

"Coming here and already being a Third-Rank disciple, you've saved ten years of hard work compared to us! Brother Yingtian is talented, and his sister is even better. Easy to say, easy to say! If Junior Sister Long Yao has anything she doesn't understand, just ask me!" A Fourth-Rank disciple in yellow patted his chest.

"What use is a Fourth-Rank disciple like you? Ask me!" Another disciple in green stood out.

"Since Junior Sister Long Yao is a Third-Rank disciple, you must have already taken a master. I wonder which elder it is?"

"It is Elder Yu, who is also the Sect Master of the River God Sect. My sister was previously cultivating within the River God Sect and was brought to the Heaven Fire Sect by Elder Yu." Lao Yingtian gave a brief, polished account of Long Yao's background, without mentioning the matter of withdrawing from the Shuyu Pavilion.

Taking the back door was taking the back door, including withdrawing from an original sect; it inevitably carried the suspicion of "disliking the poor and loving the rich" or "sect-hopping."

It was easy to do but hard to listen to.

It was rare for a beautiful female disciple to come to the Department of Revenue and Expenditure, and she was the sister of the Second-Rank disciple Lao Yingtian, and a Third-Rank herself. The Department of Revenue and Expenditure suddenly felt like a festival, noisy and chaotic, with everyone coming to offer their services.

Those playing the fool played the fool, and those telling jokes told jokes.

As long as Long Yao leaned against the counter and covered her mouth with a smile, everyone felt like it was New Year, a sense of infinite achievement welling up in their hearts.

There were also those who wanted to go but couldn't open their mouths in action, keeping a straight face, slightly sucking in their cheeks so as not to appear too fat, lightly frowning, staring at the accounts, pretending to be cold, as if their thinking and choices regarding the pages in their hands would affect the future development of the entire Heaven Fire Sect.

The other female disciples secretly spat in disgust.

Just as it was lively.

A touch of purple intruded into their peripheral vision.

The crowd amidst the laughter was shocked, and before they could disperse, the scolding had already arrived.

"What are you arguing about? I heard you arguing from outside. Those who know think it's the Department of Revenue and Expenditure; those who don't think it's a vegetable market!"

"Bao Qingfeng, just look at your fat head and big ears, are you here to sell pork?"

"I'm sorry, Grand Cao Shixiong!"

Bao Qingfeng, the Fourth-Rank disciple surrounding Long Yao, shrank his neck and hurriedly ran away.

The purple-clad disciple Kuang Chen scanned the circle and snorted through his nose.

Silence fell.

No one dared to greet him, all lowering their heads to work nervously.

Long Yao's heart tightened. Seeing the purple clothes, she knew this was a First-Rank disciple, the core of the core. She hurriedly looked at Lao Yingtian and found that Lao Yingtian's expression was indifferent. She immediately tasted something, and when she looked back, the shadow spread.

Kuang Chen came before Long Yao, his tone flat.

"This fellow disciple, are you here to handle business in the Department of Revenue and Expenditure?"

Long Yao knew the situation wasn't right and couldn't admit that her brother had brought her to visit: "Yes!"

Kuang Chen was greatly surprised.

He had heard clearly outside that this female disciple was clearly Lao Yingtian's sister, brought here to meet people. He had originally wanted to use this to teach a lesson and dampen Lao Yingtian's prestige...

Elders manage, disciples work.

But for a First-Rank disciple in purple, they were basically hands-off managers; otherwise, wouldn't the promotion be in vain? Precisely because of this, it gave Second-Rank disciples like Lao Yingtian an opportunity.

Kuang Chen wouldn't give up and pursued the questioning: "I don't know what business you are handling? I am the First-Rank disciple in charge of the Department of Revenue and Expenditure; I can assign good hands to handle it for you."

Lao Yingtian found it funny.

Because Kuang Chen, this First-Rank disciple, didn't manage things and liked to show off his power, it led the other disciples to unite around him. As for the few Second-Rank disciples under Kuang Chen, not to mention being useless, they were just mediocre, all not as capable as him. The two had long had conflicts in this small Department of Revenue and Expenditure.

But his sister wasn't a pushover either.

Being able to enter the Shuyu Pavilion was entirely Long Yao's own ability, which showed how excellent she was.

Long Yao pulled the tiger's skin to wrap herself in the banner: "It is my master, Elder Yu. Elder Yu asked me to come and ask about the October salary and help collect it on his behalf."

"Elder Yu?"

"Yes!"

"Elder Yu's salary..." Kuang Chen's eyes narrowed. He had phoenix eyes and a handsome face, but now he looked just like a fox. "I remember Elder Yu joined the sect in mid-August this year, but the mid-September accounts show that he took away the salary for August and September and an outing subsidy. Who handled such non-compliant accounts?"

"Replying to Cao Shixiong," Lao Yingtian stood out, "I handled it!"

Kuang Chen asked, surely having premeditated it.

Long Yao was stunned, never having thought there would be such an accident.

Master pre-collecting salary, and it was handled by her brother?

It wouldn't be that her disciple quota was exchanged for two months of salary, would it?

So cheap?

Kuang Chen immediately turned his spear and questioned: "Liang Shidi, tell me, why could Elder Yu take away two months of salary when he had actually joined for less than a month from mid-August to mid-September? And the outing subsidy, the sect clearly stipulates that only elders who have joined the sect for more than half a year are eligible to receive it when executing sect missions. How did you handle it? How did you calculate it?"

"..."

Lao Yingtian was unhurried: "Replying to Cao Shixiong Kuang Chen, Elder Yu's two months of salary, the latter month of September, was pre-collected and cannot be treated as the same. As for the August salary—"

"Are you trying to use the excuse of joining the sect fifteen days ago to count as a full month to fob me off?" Kuang Chen blocked one path.

"No!" Lao Yingtian bowed, "Elder Yu joined the sect on the sixteenth; it indeed cannot be counted as a full month. Therefore, the August one was not a salary, but according to the regulations, a special preferential ordinance to encourage new elders to settle sect affairs, specially approved to be given a full month's salary!"

Long Yao's eyes shone with brilliance, and she raised her small fist.

Brother is amazing!

Kuang Chen also didn't show panic, stabbing at the real vital point: "Then what about the subsidy!? Has Elder Yu joined the sect for half a year?"

"No."

"Is Elder Yu handling sect affairs?"

"Not exactly."

"Then where did your outing subsidy come from!"

"From a Core Elder!"

Lao Yingtian raised his head, his gaze bright and not falling behind, loudly reciting the sect regulations,

"If a sect elder is commissioned by a Core Elder to execute a Grade A mission concerning sect interests, they are not subject to the restriction of joining time! After verification, they receive the full outing subsidy.

The River God Sect is a Second-Rank Sect, and a Second-Rank Sect belongs to the Heaven Fire Sect's directly administered sect. The overall relocation of a directly administered sect is a Grade A mission!

Elder Yu going out of the sect was also entrusted by Core Elder Fei Taiyu. Elder Yu met with Elder Fei that very day. If Cao Shixiong doesn't believe it, you can go ask Elder Fei yourself!"

Dead silence.

In the large Department of Revenue and Expenditure, one could hear a pin drop.

All the disciples were sweating, their eyes fixed on the tabletop, their ears pricked straight.

Disciples at the door who wanted to handle business sensed the atmosphere wasn't right and didn't dare to come in.

Kuang Chen stared fixedly at Lao Yingtian.

Lao Yingtian calmly accepted the scrutiny.

If he didn't handle things according to the regulations and issued salaries indiscriminately, how could he have reached his current position?

Similarly, whoever understood the vast sect regulations clearly, mastered them enough, and explained them clearly could become the possessor of benefits! Possess the most connections!

Lao Yingtian reached today by walking on thin ice, handling things within the rules!

Perhaps the Core Elder didn't entrust it, and Elder Yu just met and greeted him that day.

But to go to the Core Elder for confrontation, you, Kuang Chen, a First-Rank disciple in purple.

Do you dare?

"Cao Shixiong Kuang, do you still have questions about this account?" Lao Yingtian took half a step back and bowed in salute.

"Hahaha!" Kuang Chen suddenly revealed a smile and patted Lao Yingtian's shoulder, "Liang Shidi Lao is truly well-versed in sect regulations."

Lao Yingtian lowered his head: "I am ashamed. Handling matters for fellow disciples,

handling matters for elders, Yingtian dares not fail to exert his full effort. If it were because I wasn't familiar with the regulations and didn't understand the rules, infringing on the legitimate interests of fellow disciples and elders, or even lining my own pockets, that would be the real great crime!"

"Good!" Long Yao clapped hard.

Kuang Chen only felt the applause was harsh. Seeing the disciples at the door peeking, he, who had been counter-attacked, knew he couldn't stay here long.

Looking at the surrounding disciples again, he didn't spare encouragement: "My Heaven Fire Sect needs disciples like Liang Shidi Lao who exert their full effort! Not trash who come up to offer services when they see a female disciple!"

Without Lao Yingtian's ability, the crowd didn't dare to speak.

It was truly a toad landing on the face; it didn't bite but was disgusting. After suffering a loss, he still wanted to play division and ruin others' relationships.

Lao Yingtian suddenly turned around, breaking the silence, and spoke to Long Yao: "Since Cao Shixiong Kuang mentioned it, and Junior Sister has come to collect the October salary, then let me handle it."

"Alright, alright, Cao Shixiong, you are really kind and well-versed in sect regulations; you definitely won't cheat me! I was really worried about meeting someone who didn't know or understand and getting less salary."

Long Yao spoke with thorns, Kuang Chen glanced sideways, flicked his sleeves, and left.

Long Yao made a face at Kuang Chen's back, Lao Yingtian couldn't help but laugh and touched her head.

"Brother, why is he targeting you so much?" Long Yao lay on the counter, her bulging chest flattened.

"Because I threatened him." Lao Yingtian's expression was indifferent, "He feels that the people below listen to me and not him, feels uncomfortable in his heart, and comes to suppress me when he has nothing to do, letting people know who is the boss."

"Isn't it just that he has no ability himself, only knows how to show off power and pull faces? Who is happy to follow him? And he is a First-Rank disciple, just relying on an identity. Brother, you will wear purple clothes sooner or later; when that time comes, you don't need to fear him! Just do it directly!"

Lao Yingtian's movements stalled.

Long Yao tilted her head: "Brother?"

"Long Yao—"

"Mm, I'm listening."

Lao Yingtian's eyes flickered, he gripped the pages tightly, and licked his lips: "Do you, want a First-Rank disciple brother?"

"Of course! Purple clothes, having a First-Rank disciple brother, how prestigious it would be to say it out!" Long Yao took it for granted, then couldn't suppress her excitement, "Brother, do you have any connections? Or did you receive inside information? No way? You are going to be promoted? Oh my, you should have pulled me later; what if someone grabs a handle and it fails?"

Long Yao began to worry, chattering away.

Lao Yingtian smiled slightly.

Liang Qu returned to the Heaven Fire Sect without causing any ripples, nor was he called in for a talk by the Core Elders.

It seems he was too suspicious? Or was the Heaven Fire Sect too confident and completely hands-off?

He thought for a moment.

Liang Qu performed 【Spirit Transformation】 in the pond, turning into a huge Blood Ape, comfortably soaking in a

bath.

In the Yang world, the ape body wasn't as comfortable as the human body.

In the Yin world, the fish body wasn't as good as the ape body; at least the monkey had hands and feet.

Anyway, everyone already knew that changes in Yin world forms were also common.

"Master? Are you inside? I'm coming in?"

"Mm."

Liang Qu hummed with his eyes closed.

Long Yao happily entered the cave dwelling; she was now in high spirits.

Her brother was about to be promoted, she had come to the Heaven Fire Sect, and the Lao family had a boundless future!

"Ah!" Long Yao froze in place, seeing at a glance the mighty Blood Ape three zhang tall in the center of the pond, with golden eyes and snowy teeth, sitting in a majestic posture, muscles knotted on his broad chest, his momentum soaring to the sky. Immediately after, she reacted and asked carefully, "Master?"

"It's me."

Wow!

Master is actually so handsome!

Long Yao compared it to the previous half-fish half-demon, then compared it to the current Blood Ape; it was completely not the same style!

Wild! Cool! Dazzling!

A peerless fierce demon!

This is what a Sixth Realm great power, a Heaven Fire Elder, looks like!

Splash.

Red water flowed down along the fur and dripped.

Liang Qu stood up from the water pool, shrank his body size to eight feet, sat leaning against a mountain rock, not hiding his dominance: "Your residence, did your brother help you settle it?"

"It's done! The environment is even better than the original Shuyu Pavilion! My brother said that when he becomes a First-Rank disciple, he will change me to a river-view room!

Of course, it definitely doesn't have as good a view as yours, Master." Long Yao was happy and cheerful. After hanging out with Lao Yingtian for two days, she had completely lost the nervousness of being new here. She took out a small yellow leather bag, "By the way, Master, this is your October salary. Something happened two days ago, I acted as a shield and took the initiative to collect it for you in advance! Please don't blame me."

Liang Qu took the small bag, his eyes flashing.

First-Rank disciple?

The progress was faster than he imagined. In just two days, Lao Yingtian had already made mental preparations?

From Pingyang to the Southern Frontier frontline, considering settling down, it would take at least a month and a half. It had only been twenty days now.

It seems he wouldn't have to wait until the Southern Frontier to have results.

"Master?"

Liang Qu returned to his senses and accepted the three First-Rank blood treasures: "I see you just reached the Third Realm; do you have anything you don't understand in your cultivation?"

"There are some."

Long Yao straightened her expression and knelt on the cushion.

Don't look at Liang Qu as just a Second-Rank Elder, not famous in the Heaven Fire Sect, but it was different outside.

A dignified Sixth Realm great power!

The entire First-Rank sect Shuyu Pavilion didn't even have a double-digit number. Her original master was only at the Fifth Realm, a whole major realm apart.

Even if Liang Qu were a Third-Rank Elder, it would still be

a huge profit.

"But I have some other questions I want to ask Master."

"Speak."

Long Yao blinked: "Master, am I your number-th disciple?"

"Count it as the third."

"Ah, besides Xi Ziyu, there are others?"

"There are. In terms of age, you are the oldest; in terms of seniority, you are the youngest."

People in the Blood River Realm were generally "long-lived" and cultivated slowly. Long Yao looked like she was at the Third Realm, but she was actually over thirty years old, which wouldn't allow her to participate in the Martial Examination in the Great Shun.

"Then do I have a Mistress?"

"There is also one."

Long Yao was even more curious: "Is Mistress also a fish? Or a monkey?"

"First, I am an ape, not a monkey." Liang Qu had long wanted to complain about this. Why did these Dragon Lords always like to call him a monkey? He clearly didn't have a tail. "Second, your Mistress is neither a fish nor a monkey; she is a human."

"Ah!"

Long Yao found it incredible.

Humans and monkeys?

!

Liang Qu snorted through his nostrils, and a hurricane knocked Long Yao over.

"Do you think I am very easy to talk to?"

"No, no." Long Yao shook her head repeatedly.

"Alright." Liang Qu climbed up from the ground and took his elder credentials, "Go to the Scripture Depository. First, I'll pick a better cultivation technique for you. After that, I'll give you two pointers, and you can go practice it yourself."

"Yes!"

In the Scripture Depository, with Liang Qu leading, Long Yao was also unimpeded all the way.

Liang Qu looked at the dazzling array of books, recalled the catalog he had memorized, and communicated with A-Wei.

Creation Treasure Ship.

Long Yao and Long Li spread out the pages and ground the ink.

A-Wei bit the fox brush and stood ready.

Grand plans!

"Sigh!"

Taking a deep breath, Liang Qu scanned it and immediately found the "Record of Abyss Tracing Truth" on the first row!

"The surging of a hundred rivers is not as good as a quiet abyss; only when the floating light dissipates can the true face be illuminated—"

A-Wei shook his head, the writing flying like dragons and dancing like phoenixes.

"Cocoon Mountain Green Vein Sutra."

"Gap Light Travel."

"Red Dust Reflecting Heart Scroll."

"Stringless Guard."

"One great merit, one great merit, one great merit—"

Copying to the fifth book, Liang Qu discovered that A-Wei's speed was too slow. With A-Wei's physique, it was fundamentally unsuitable for copying cultivation techniques. Using his mouthparts to bite the fox brush to write was several times slower than normal writing.

"Ah! Me?"

The Third Prince was sleeping soundly when he was called up by Liang Qu through a link to work. He yawned, smacked his lips, looked at the study, and spat out a white mist version of Long Eying, who sat upright at the table.

Continue!

A-Wei

was unemployed, his literary dream shattered.

Changing to another water beast, the copying speed was suddenly much faster.

In just one day, Liang Qu found twelve great merit remnants, and complete true art cultivation techniques within the Great Li!

One true art, one great merit.

Twelve great merits in one day!

Brush, brush, brush!

Long Yao felt that Master was a bit strange, hitting here and there, looking at everything, not picky at all.

"This must be the demeanor of a great power, embracing all rivers!"

The Blood Ape looked good, looked formidable, and easily gave people a filter. Long Yao couldn't help but feel admiration and continued to study her own cultivation technique, preparing to change her sect.

In three days.

Forty-one complete true art secret manuals lay in the study, equivalent to forty-one great merits!

After copying them, the large Scripture Depository would have at least a hundred!

Which time in the past had he earned great merits without fighting to the death, without working until it was dark? Never had there been such an easy moment!

"Rich, rich! All are true arts!" Xu Zishuai flipped through the secret manuals, ecstatic, "By the way, Third Prince, don't forget to let A-Shui copy more basic cultivation techniques and put them in our Huaiyin Martial Hall!"

Nowadays, the Martial Hall was booming in the two capitals, and the Huaiyin Martial Hall was under quite a bit of pressure. Besides the visualization diagrams, the rest of the foundation was still too far behind the capital.

"The boss has already prepared it!" The little Mirage Dragon turned out a stack of small booklets.

"Cast Iron Stake," "Hundred Grass Breath," "Stacked Stone Technique."

"Good, good, good!" Xu Zishuai treated them like treasures, happier than seeing true arts.

Behind the Huaiyin Martial Hall was a world!

"By the way, Cao Shixiong Xu, the boss asked me to ask you how the situation is?"

"All good, let A-Shui focus on working; I'm outside!" Xu Zishuai hugged a stack of cultivation techniques and went back to copy them.

Inside and outside, Liang Qu focused on working.

Calm and peaceful.

Going to the Great Snow Mountain.

Ling Xuan bit a grass root, looking forward to Long Eying's arrival.

Such days of copying one day at a time, when would it be the end?

End of November.

The fleet docked for supplies midway. Because they were constantly heading south, not only did it not get colder as time passed, but the climate became increasingly mild.

Listening to the accent completely different from Pingyang, Xu Zishuai gestured and bought a local snack. After eating, he felt like he had been ripped off by the local, holding the oil paper bag and cursing the shopkeeper as a bastard. He suddenly realized a problem and hurriedly pulled Lu Gang aside, pointing to the small bag on the roadside.

"Third Brother! Can you understand what the people here are saying?"

Lu Gang shook his head: "Ten miles have different sounds, a hundred miles have different customs. This is Minzhong Commandery; naturally, I can't understand."

"Strange—"

"What's wrong?"

Xu Zishuai touched his chin, and seeing no one around, whispered: "We came from Pingyang to here, and we can't understand what the locals are saying,

jabbering like bird language. How come A-Shui... that, um, right, the distance is even greater than from Pingyang to here, and he can understand? Do the people over there also speak Jianghuai official language?"

Lu Gang was stunned.

"Is Xingyuan what A-Shui mentioned?"

Heaven Fire Sect, Liang Qu's cave dwelling.

"Elder!"

In the darkness.

A pair of golden eyes lit up dimly.

The ape face emerged from the shadows.

Light and shadow intertwined.

"Have you considered it clearly?"

"Yes!" Lao Yingtian raised his head, "Elder Yu, I want to give it a try!" ===== CHAPTER 1135 =====

"Yes!" Lao Yingtian raised his head. "Elder Yu, I want to give it a try!"