Chapter 599: Worldly Affairs

After a while.

Yan Buji walked down the street, saw a group of cultivators seemingly arguing about something, drawing the attention of many people.

Slap!

A cultivator slammed the table hard, stood up, and glared at the person beside him: "You bastard, we agreed that for this operation someone would contribute effort and someone would contribute strength; you didn't even go, yet you still want some reward?!"

Mind your words, that place was first discovered by me, and I was the one who brought you there the first time and got injured because of it! If it weren't for your reckless rushing in, would I have gotten hurt for your safety? By reason and emotion, shouldn't I get a share of the gains from this trip?

Since you've said all that, how about we give you some spiritual stones, and then you go your way and we go ours?

What? You want to get rid of me after using me?

A group started arguing, and Yan Buji walked over, puzzled, asking: "What's going on?"

"Looks like they discovered a secret realm," that person said, then turned his head and exclaimed in surprise: "Hey, isn't that Daoist friend Yan?"

Yan Buji smiled, clasped his fists, and looked at the few people arguing.

"What treasures are in that secret realm to warrant such a huge fuss?"

"I think it's actually because there's nothing valuable; otherwise, even if they were stupid, they wouldn't be shouting in the street," a person beside them laughed.

Yan Buji nodded; that was indeed the case.

Had I discovered a secret realm with others, I wouldn't have come up empty-handed on the first entry, nor would I have started a quarrel before the second entry.

Even if we really argued in private, we wouldn't bring it out into the open, otherwise letting others know would be even more disadvantageous.

"What did you say?!" an indignant cultivator sprang to his feet, pointing at them: "Back when any of you were down on your luck, didn't I save you? You now think that way?"

"Big Brother, we understand too," several cultivators beside him said with grim faces: "But over these years, whatever you told us to do, we did, never going against you. Yet now you're injured and can't come along; we face risks when we go out to explore, so the gains from the expedition should rightfully be ours."

"You!"

"Cut the nonsense, Luo Hui, you've been big brother for so many years, just can't let go of that face, right? Then let everyone here say: for the secret realm expedition, you can't go yourself, so what gives you the right to take the harvest? Do you really think we're your lackeys?" a cultivator who clearly disliked Luo Hui said bluntly.

The surrounding cultivators whispered among themselves, feeling that since they couldn't go together, unless you had previously given them many benefits, but even then forcefully demanding a share wasn't really proper.

"Luo Hui's group may not be great, but they're not terrible either; they still have strength."

"But they originally followed Luo Hui as their leader, and now they don't want to listen to him anymore."

"The gains from a secret realm should be earned by contributing effort; just reaping the benefits without work is meaningless."

"Wasn't it said that Luo Hui also saved them?"

"But you can't repay kindness with vengeance; that would just invite grudges for no reason."

Yan Buji stood in the crowd, seeing Luo Hui's face flush red, and couldn't help but laugh.

These Core Formation cultivators were just like that, quarreling over petty interests to split up; in the end, it's still the leader's fault, no one else to blame.

"Please, seniors, tell me whether I, Luo Hui, am in the wrong or someone else is," Luo Hui said, taking a deep breath and bowing his fists.

"If so, why not ask Daoist friend Yan to judge?"

Everyone looked over and voluntarily made way for Yan Buji.

Yan Buji raised his eyebrows, glanced at the people nearby, and stepped forward.

"Senior Yan," Luo Hui's group rose and bowed their fists.

Yan Buji nodded; after doing good deeds for so many days, he had at least gained some reputation.

"In the end, this is merely an internal matter of your group; as an outsider, I really shouldn't interfere."

"Just stick to the facts, Senior!" Luo Hui gritted his teeth.

"Exactly, Senior, say whatever you want."

Yan Buji clasped his fists: "Then let me say a few words."

Looking at Luo Hui, he asked: "I ask you, is the secret realm you intend to go to very dangerous?"

"That's the case for us now," Luo Hui replied.

"Wasn't Luo Hui injured because he previously saved a few of you?"

After a moment's hesitation, the leader who had opposed Luo Hui said: "Indeed, that's true, and there's nothing wrong with admitting it."

"Then, given that, are you two arguing over the benefits of the secret realm, or over the future of the group as a whole?"

Yan Buji broke the question down and handed it to them.

Luo Hui opened his mouth, then immediately fell silent, wanting to speak but stopping himself.

"We...." those few also wore hesitant expressions; just as they were about to say something, the leader stepped forward: "To be honest, we've long disliked Luo Hui; it's just that he saved us a few times, but we've also worked like oxen and horses for him, done so much that we should settle the score!"

"So you want to draw a clear line with Luo Hui?"

"Exactly!"

"If so, then it involves dividing the group's overall benefits. Do you have any shared assets?"

"Shared assets...," that person hesitated.

Luo Hui shook his head beside them: "No, all our gains have been split evenly; we have nothing we all use together."

"If that's the case, as the leader, shouldn't you also give something? After all, you've shared hardships; going your separate ways from now on, with no further contact, would also count as ending this affinity." Yan Buji smiled.

Upon hearing that, Luo Hui immediately furrowed his brows: "This...."

"No need!" that person, clearly catching Yan Buji's meaning, immediately said: "Luo Hui was actually decent to us before; since we're going our separate ways, there's no need to do those things."

"Well then, if that's the case, you two can consider yourselves completely severed, with no further contact. But since Luo Hui got injured because of you, you should give him some token."

"Fine."

That person without hesitation pulled out a bag of spiritual stones, placed it before Luo Hui: "Consider this our compensation for you; thanks this time, Senior Yan. Everyone else, follow me!"

That person led the others away; Luo Hui stood where he was, silent for a long time.

Upon seeing this, those who understood a bit of worldly wisdom wouldn't blame Yan Buji; instead, they looked at the silent Luo Hui and involuntarily shook their heads as they left.

Yan Buji couldn't help it either; who let Luo Hui not know how to win people's hearts? Indeed, he's not suited to be a leader.

In contrast, the person who opposed Luo Hui handles worldly relations quite well, far surpassing Luo Hui.

Sometimes the cultivation world isn't all about strength; at least when everyone's strength is roughly equal, other factors become important.

Yan Buji looked at Luo Hui, sighed, and turned to leave.

After waiting a long time, Luo Hui finally reacted.

"The compensation Senior Yan just mentioned is meant to win over everyone's hearts!" Luo Hui suddenly realized this, and couldn't help but sit down, worrying incessantly.