Chapter 538: Isn't My Brother's Stuff Just My Stuff?

538, Treasury inventory, the East Emperor's joy.

Heavenly Court Treasury.

In name, this is the future foundation of the entire Demon Clan, a strategic stronghold that Emperor Di Jun uses to reward officials and arm his army.

In reality, to Gu Yuan, this is his private warehouse.

He walks hands behind his back, taking leisurely steps through the vast, open treasury.

The air is filled with the spiritual energy of various heavenly materials and earthly treasures mingling together.

Fuxi and Kunpeng are still flushing with anger over the Heavenly Law, while his brother Emperor Di Jun is busy assigning positions to newly risen demon gods on the star map, his head in a frenzy.

The entire Lingxiao Treasure Hall brims with the vigor and chaos of emerging forces.

Only he, East Emperor Taiyi, the imperial younger brother universally regarded as "physically weak and frail, unfit for great responsibilities," holds the inventory order and strolls out openly and honestly.

How nice.

Gu Yuan feels a surge of emotion.

Let others scramble and strive, while he lies on the merit list enjoying the fruits of victory.

This is the life a transmigrator should have.

The treasury is huge, but currently still very empty.

In the corners are piles of spirit ores the size of hills, of uneven quality, all local specialties seized by Emperor Di Jun over the years when subduing various demon kings.

On the other side are hundreds of spirit roots of varied forms, mostly postnatal, with a few inferior innate spirit roots drooping there, evidently forcibly transplanted and ill‑adapted.

Beyond that, it's just a heap of junk.

Various broken weapons, shattered armor, fragments of relics whose original forms are unrecognizable… these are spoils seized by the Demon Clan in battles with other tribes, tasteless to eat yet a pity to discard.

Gu Yuan steps forward, beginning his first task as "Warehouse Manager."

"This piece of 'Nine Heavens Xirang,' though only fist‑sized, has a pure earth origin; brother could perhaps study it a bit, so seal it separately."

"This 'Wind‑Thunder Fan,' though a postnatal spirit treasure, aligns with Demon God Feilian's essence; it may be granted to him to display heavenly grace."

"These demon‑beast skeletons harbor malevolent qi; keeping them is useless and would contaminate the treasury's spiritual mechanisms, so… destroy them."

Gu Yuan records everything solemnly; with a casual wave, the mountain‑high pile of skeletons vanishes, collected by him.

"A pity, if it were the true body, it could directly nourish the inner world."

Gu Yuan thinks to himself.

For now, it can only be taken back later.

"These broken relics have mixed materials and chaotic laws; keeping them just takes space, so dispose of them together."

Another heap of trash disappears.

Just as Gu Yuan diligently organizes the treasury, adding bricks to his inner world, that familiar voice rings in his mind.

【"Master, this behavior, according to the system's definition, counts as embezzlement..."】

Xiao Ai's voice carries a barely perceptible reproach.

"Hm?" Gu Yuan pauses his action, raises an eyebrow, "How could I be embezzling?"

"I am fulfilling my duties as East Emperor, inventorying the treasury and harmlessly disposing of useless items to prevent them from polluting the Heavenly Court's ley lines; this is a great merit for the public, what do you know?"

"Besides, isn't my brother's stuff my stuff?"

【"Then what about your stuff?"】

"My stuff is, of course, still my stuff."

【"..."】

Xiao Ai falls silent.

"Alright, stop playing dead."

Gu Yuan smirks, "Back to business. Look, I now have a title—East Emperor, rank equal to Vice‑Emperor. I have fixed assets—the East Emperor Bell, an innate treasure. My workplace is the Heavenly Court Treasury, all under my control. Main Quest 2 'Seek Roots and Ask the Dao' I've already exceeded expectations; shouldn't we settle the reward?"

【"..."】

Xiao Ai wants to say that the East Emperor Bell wasn't earned by your skill; it was forced upon you by the Heavenly Emperor!

The treasury isn't yours either; it's the Demon Clan's!

But it knows that saying those words will only be twisted back by the host with even more twisted reasoning.

【"... Main Quest not yet fully completed, cannot perform final settlement."】

Xiao Ai switches to a mechanical voice, trying to deflect with regulations.

"Don't give me that spiel."

Gu Yuan snorts,

"If we can't do the final settlement, then an advance of part of it should be fine, right? Look at my current body, Golden Immortal cultivation, a gust of wind could topple me. If one day I go out and some short‑sighted ancient witch slaps me to death, wouldn't your mission fail? Then would the KPI still be needed?"

【"..."】

"Give me some startup funds so I have a bit of self‑preservation power; this request is reasonable, right?"

Gu Yuan gently persuades,

"Look, a seed of the Twelve‑tier Pure World White Lotus or a sapling of the Innate Ren Water Peach—just give me one, I don't mind."

【"... Master, those are the final rewards..."】

Xiao Ai's voice returns to a girlish tone, tinged with sobbing.

"Then give me something else, you decide."

Gu Yuan puts on a 'I'm easy to talk to' demeanor.

A long while passes.

【"... Given the master's current perilous situation, the system may make an exception and advance part of the reward."】

A light curtain unfolds before Gu Yuan.

【Option One: Acquired Merit Supreme Treasure, imitation (one-time) of the Heaven-Earth Mysterious Yellow Exquisite Treasure Tower, can withstand three full-power strikes from a Quasi-Sage.】

【Option Two: Three Nine-turn Golden Pills, can help a Golden Immortal cultivator directly enter the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm.】

【Option Three: Randomly draw one Acquired Spirit Treasure.】

Gu Yuan looked at these three options, not furrowing his brow at all.

Trash.

All trash.

A one-time treasure tower?

He has the East Emperor Bell; does he still need this?

Nine-turn Golden Pill?

He now hopes his cultivation is as low as possible; how could he possibly raise his realm?

As for a random Acquired Spirit Treasure… even ghosts wouldn't want it.

"Xiao Ai ah." Gu Yuan said earnestly.

【Master, this is already the utmost sincerity the system can muster!】

"Fine, then I'll choose……"

Gu Yuan paused in Xiao Ai's expectant gaze: "I want them all."

【……】

Xiao Ai's classmate crashed on the spot.

"Look, my elder brother just established the Heavenly Court; all affairs await revival—now is the time to reward meritorious officials with treasures and elixirs, to win people's hearts."

Gu Yuan's voice was filled with the earnestness of "sharing his elder brother's worries,"

"This tower can give him protection; this pill can cultivate loyal Great Luo Golden Immortals; this Acquired Spirit Treasure, if casually bestowed on any little demon king, will make him grateful."

【But Master, these are your advance reward……】

Xiao Ai weakly objected.

"What's my elder brother's is mine too, right?"

Gu Yuan's tone was matter-of-course,

"Helping him is helping you complete your task. Besides……"

He shifted his tone, speaking with implied meaning:

"You settle these with me now; after my elder brother thoroughly studies the River Chart and Luo Book, those are two top-grade Innate Spirit Treasures."

"Also there's that Innate Gourd Vine on Mount Not Zhou; once I persuade my brother to pluck it, there are seven gourds—seven peak Innate Spirit Treasures. By then… do you still fear lacking settlement?"

【……】

【Ding!】

A crisp system notification sound, with a hint of desperate resolve, rang in Gu Yuan's mind.

【Reward settled; please check, Master.】