Chapter 267 - 200: Founding the Altar and Assigning Ranks (Part 2)

"Stop, stop, Master Gao! Please, say no more. My gut aches just listening to this."

Qin Xuan’s smile was uglier than a grimace, and he felt as if his heart was bleeding.

He took back what he had just said.

’Damn it! The Holy Sect’s founding patriarchs weren’t magnanimous at all! They just saw the Altar Masters as personal ATMs, taking penny-pinching to the absolute extreme!’

’Establishing a Magic Altar is certainly a good thing. First and foremost, I wouldn’t have to worry about my cultivation anymore. I could just dump everything on the Cultivators under me, exploit them, and make them earn Cultivation Resources for me.’

’But the prerequisite is that I actually have to be able to establish the Magic Altar in the first place!’

’All of this would take at least three to five years, and the Spirit Stones required would be a massive expense!’

’Where am I supposed to conjure up that many Spirit Stones?’

A Purple Mansion Altar Master standing next to Ruan Fusheng, who had a square face, a wide mouth, a high-bridged nose, thick black eyebrows, and a face full of stubble, seemed to see Qin Xuan’s predicament. He smiled and said, "Junior Brother Qin, there’s no rush. We only came today to ask about the official name for your altar and the scale you intend to establish."

"If you need a loan, we can help. Setting other things aside, I, your senior brother, can lend you 500,000 low-grade spirit stones. The monthly interest is 3%, and it doubles if you’re overdue."

The Purple Mansion Altar Master on the other side, who was as burly as a bear with knotted muscles and rough, bronze-colored skin, also spoke up. "I am Wei Kongqing. I can lend you 400,000 low-grade spirit stones at 3.5% monthly interest, doubling if overdue."

Ruan Fusheng also coughed once, saying with a deadpan expression, "I can lend you one million low-grade spirit stones. The monthly interest is 4%, and it triples if you’re overdue."

Qin Xuan’s face turned as black as charcoal.

’Beasts! A whole pack of them!’

’How is this any different from looting a burning house?’

But Qin Xuan had now realized something extremely important. After breaking through to the Purple Mansion, the amount of Cultivation Resources needed to advance each Realm was simply astronomical.

If he didn’t have Demon Cultivators below him to provide for him, he could forget about forging a Golden Core in this lifetime, relying on himself alone.

Otherwise, his Cultivation wouldn’t have remained stalled at the Purple Mansion Third Level all this time!

"Valley Master Qin, have you decided? Will you establish a Magic Altar?"

Gao Fengliang reminded him, "You only have one day to hesitate. If Valley Master Qin hasn’t paid the Magic Altar Naming Fee after one day, then you’ll miss this opportunity, and it won’t come again."

"Master Gao, I will establish a Magic Altar. As for the name... it shall be called the Huaizhong Altar!"

After much deliberation, Qin Xuan finally made up his mind.

"Those who enter my Huaizhong Altar will all become pillars of the Holy Sect!"

As his voice fell, Qin Xuan took the one million low-grade spirit stones he had just received, which were still warm, and shoved them into Gao Fengliang’s arms.

"Junior Brother Qin actually has that many Spirit Stones?" a Purple Mansion Altar Master at the side said in surprise, his eyes wide.

You have to understand, back when they had just finished Guiding Fate Star and were establishing their own Magic Altars, they were considered incredibly lucky if they could scrounge up 200,000 Spirit Stones!

They still hadn’t paid off their Holy Loans.

"Good. Valley Master Qin is decisive."

Right in front of Qin Xuan, Gao Fengliang registered the "Huaizhong Altar" in the Holy Sect’s Blood Loan Money Shop and opened a dedicated account for his Magic Altar.

As for loans, Qin Xuan didn’t borrow a single cent.

There were too many twists and turns involved.

Besides, the interest rates were too high.

’Especially that dog Ruan Fusheng! A monthly interest of four percent! On a million low-grade spirit stones, that’s 480,000 in interest a year. Damn it, if I failed to pay it back in two years, he’d have already made back his principal!’

"Farewell!"

The three Purple Mansion Altar Masters left with regret.

At that moment, however, Gao Fengliang said, "Valley Master Qin, would you be interested in earning some extra Spirit Stones?"

Qin Xuan was taken aback, wondering what Gao Fengliang was up to.

Gao Fengliang got straight to the point. "To be frank, my son is a bit dull. A descendant of my bloodline, he has just broken through to the Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer this year. He intends to go to the Blood Pool Sword Tomb to collect his first Blood Talisman."

"I’ve heard that Valley Master Qin possesses the Breaking Gold Blood Talisman. I was wondering if you could perhaps give my son some private pointers..."

Qin Xuan’s heart tightened, and his mouth immediately went dry.

’Is he... trying to hire me for tutoring?’

’I never thought this kind of business existed in the Holy Sect!’

"Rest assured, Valley Master Qin, the payment will be generous. I will also lend you a hand with the karma from the Giant Spirit Blood Demon. Based on the black market price..."

Gao Fengliang’s eyes darted for a moment before he said in a deep voice:

"For every two hours, I will pay you an additional three thousand low-grade spirit stones!"

Qin Xuan immediately cupped his fists. "How could I dare refuse Master Gao’s request? May I ask when Young Master Gao needs to enter the Blood Pool Sword Tomb?"

"Hahaha, Junior Brother Qin, your words flatter me."

Gao Fengliang was clearly pleased. He stroked his beard with a smile, bowed to help Qin Xuan up, and his form of address changed from "Valley Master Qin" to "Junior Brother Qin."

"Junior Brother Qin, you can head to the Blood Pool Sword Tomb first to undergo your third trial. After you have nurtured your Sword Talisman, we can discuss this further."

"Alright!"

...

After Gao Fengliang left, Qin Xuan was filled with emotion.

"No wonder I hardly ever saw the descendants of any other Holy Sect higher-ups in the Blood Pool Sword Tomb before."

It turns out they had their paths paved for them long ago.

They had already decided which Sword Talisman to inscribe even before entering the Blood Pool Sword Tomb!

’My Spirit Stones can probably support four sub-altars... and the Sub-forum Masters must be people I can trust!’

After a moment of thought, Qin Xuan released the four Demon Beasts from the Black Flood Dragon’s Reverse Scale.

The three Demon Beasts—the Cyan-arm Stone Ape, the Longevity Spirit Turtle, and the Purple Extreme Thunder Eagle—unleashed a surging wave of Demon Qi as they surrounded the Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer Black-Horned Young Flood Dragon.

The scene looked like a group of triad bosses surrounding a small child.

Zhao Youliang was especially intimidating. He was about ten feet tall, with a pair of long arms that hung past his knees. He had a ferocious face with a protruding muzzle, four tusks piercing through his lips, and a pair of crimson eyes as large as bronze bells.

"What pure vital energy. Is this the Dragon Lord’s bloodline? A Tier Five Great Demon?"

Zhao Youliang licked his lips, white steam puffing from his nostrils from time to time, his face a mask of greed.

The Black-Horned Young Flood Dragon cowered on the spot, trembling.

The Longevity Spirit Turtle, looking clueless and simple-minded, crawled to one side. Its rough, tortoise-like head, emerging from its black Turtle Shell, gently nudged the Black-Horned Young Flood Dragon.

Only then did the Black-Horned Young Flood Dragon relax a little.

"Old Zhao, don’t scare him. He’s still just a kid!"

Qin Xuan looked at the young Dragon Descendant before him. "Xiaomo is black, and you’re black too. What should I call you?"

Zhao Youliang suggested, "We could establish a seniority. My cultivation is the highest, so I’ll be number one. You can call me Daqing."

"Little Hei is the Longevity Spirit Turtle and has the longest lifespan, so he can be number two. Call him Er Hei. This Tier Five Young Flood Dragon has the most potential, so he’s number three. Call him Sanhei. Little Zi is number four, so call her Sizi..."

"SCREECH!"

Hearing the ugly name "Sizi," the Purple Extreme Thunder Eagle flapped its wings, its feathers instantly bristling with rage.

BOOM!

A bolt of lightning as thick as a forearm struck Zhao Youliang, charring his cyan fur black. His mouth twitched as he foamed at the mouth.

With a THUD, he collapsed to the ground.

"Daqing?"

Qin Xuan shook his head. "That name brings bad luck. No."

After thinking for a moment, Qin Xuan set the tone. "But Old Zhao’s suggestion is a good one. We can have a ranking, and the names will follow that ranking."

"The Longevity Spirit Turtle was the first to submit to me, so it will be number one. I bestow upon it my surname. From now on, it will be called Qin Dahei."

Qin Xuan patted the Longevity Spirit Turtle’s massive head.

The Longevity Spirit Turtle blinked its two tiny, mung-bean-sized eyes, looking clueless, still not understanding what had just happened.

But for some reason, it was inexplicably happy with the name Qin Dahei.

Qin Xuan then looked at the Black-Horned Young Flood Dragon.

"The Black-Horned Young Flood Dragon has the greatest potential and the Dragon Lord’s bloodline. The karma involved is too great, so it cannot share my surname... Let it take Liu Mobai’s surname. From now on, it will be called Liu Erjiao!"

"As for Little Zi, it will share the surname of my alias, Shi Huaizhong. From now on, it will be called Shi Sanying."

"Right, and there’s Old Zhao..."

Qin Xuan looked at the unconscious Zhao Youliang, feeling the frustration of hating iron for not becoming steel. "With the lowest potential, you’ll be ranked fourth. Let’s call you Zhao Siyuan!"

"Zhao Si for short!"

Zhao Youliang slowly regained consciousness.

When Qin Xuan told him his new name and that he was ranked fourth, he was completely stunned.

"Master Qin, this name, Zhao Si... why does it sound a little... unintelligent?"

Qin Xuan kicked Zhao Youliang, not bothering to listen to his nonsense.

"You got a good deal and you’re still complaining? I am now a Holy Sect Altar Master. I’m offering you the position of Incense Master. Do you want it or not?"

Hearing this, Zhao Youliang’s head shot up. He trembled all over, his lips quivering, his voice shaking, and his eyes instantly filled with glistening tears.

"Master... no, Lord Altar Master, can I really be an Incense Master?"

"Of course you can. It’s just an Incense Master. If others can do it, why can’t you?"

Qin Xuan chuckled lightly and patted Zhao Youliang’s shoulder. "I believe you have the ability."

"Thank you for your recognition, Lord Altar Master! Siyuan swears to follow only Master Qin’s lead for the rest of my life. I will go through fire and water and never shrink back!"

Zhao Youliang let out a long howl and beat his chest with his arms—THUMP THUMP. He vented all the pent-up frustration from his heart, then bowed his head and kowtowed heavily.

’So what if I entered the Holy Sect thirty years ago only to be turned into the body of an ape?’

’From this day forward, the once timid and submissive Zhao Youliang is dead! In his place stands the Holy Sect Incense Master, Zhao Siyuan!’