511: Chapter 510: The Position of the True Inheritor 2 511: Chapter 510: The Position of the True Inheritor 2 Li Chuping was somewhat at a loss for words, but he understood the more exceptional a person could be, the more confident they were in themselves, hardly ever changing their minds or goals; fellow before him, who, although a fresh-faced newcomer when choosing skills in the Upper Realm, dared to disregard the hearts of the three big shots of Jin City as if they were nothing—and he had actually managed to cultivate on his own.
Such a cultivation journey even boosted his own confidence, such tempering over time would eventually lead to an unshakable Dao Heart.
For such a person, simply talking sense would not do, other methods had to be taken,
“Why should I take Spiritual Green?
Because I am powerful, have a strong background, tough roots, and broad connections!
Among my generation of disciples, who can compare?
Thus, me taking Spiritual Green is natural.
Who dares to object?”
Aside from fighting and killing, what other resources do you have?
Do you have a family?
A master’s inheritance?
Significant connections?
You have nothing, whom can you represent?
If in the future you alone achieve Dao, who will rise with you?
If no one can join you on your ascension, why would others help you now?
This isn’t about showing determination, speaking nicely, or swearing oaths; it requires enduring the tests over a long period, winning over those old ancestors, gaining their admiration, and making them believe you can represent their interests.
You, my friend, don’t even have the qualifications to meet the ancestors.
What right do you have to compete for the True Inheritance?”
Hou Niao felt deeply struck, but he had never been one to give up easily.
In such situations, he would usually laugh it off superficially while being tough at heart and unscrupulous in his actions.
“So, it seems very difficult.
Even if you obtain Spiritual Green, you might not achieve that step; perhaps Capital Commandant will get there before you do.
If you ascend, don’t forget about digging us disciples out…”
Li Chuping glared at him, feeling somewhat pleased, but he also knew this guy was just buttering him up.
“Regarding the issue of your huge expenses in Jianye City, I will try my best to help you, but don’t think about asking for too much!
You’ve spent a lot without even bringing a receipt, does Sikong Mansion look like a fool to you?”
Hou Niao bowed his head and responded agreeably, “Well, disciple was just worried about being shortchanged.
Rest assured, if there is any surplus, I am not an unreasonable person…”
Li Chuping waved his hands tiredly, dealing with this guy was more exhausting than a fight,
You’ve been the pirate chief in the Lizhi Sea for many years, you know very well how lucrative that position was, and Sikong Mansion didn’t ask for a cut!”
…Hou Niao stayed in the capital waiting for the results of this mission, and also became one of the many companions in Sikong Mansion, having to report there daily and prepare for the next assignment.
However, according to the rules of Sikong Mansion, unless there was an extreme shortage of manpower, no new task would be given to him before the conclusion of the previous one; Sikong Mansion’s task allocation followed regulations, based on completion status.
If a companion performed very well consistently, his standing within the companions of Sikong Mansion would improve, garnering him more important assignments and greater merits, while those trivial tasks wouldn’t bother him.
Like Hou Niao, whose initial task with the Yin Bureau was just satisfactory, earning him a standard merit; his tenure of over a decade in the Lizhi Sea, successfully unifying pirates, counted as a great merit; and if nothing unexpected happened this time, it would be a Special Merit.
In terms of how companions in Sikong Mansion performed their tasks, his record was considered quite good, as it was common for some to falter, thereby reducing their evaluation and placing them in a disadvantageous position during the annual review in the mansion, forcing them to take endless trivial assignments.
Hou Niao’s only shortcoming was his relatively short tenure, having only completed three assignments, which was incomparable to other companions who routinely tackled scores or even hundreds.
Thus, while seen as potential, he still needed more observation through additional tasks.
Taking advantage of this rare time, he needed to finalize his own expenses.
Just like in the mundane world, the longer such matters dragged on, the more uncertain they became, eventually turning into bad debts that no one would bother about; his trouble was that Sikong Mansion’s order was for him to complete the assassination in Jianye City alone, without granting him any leeway, so involving Jianye’s underworld was purely his own initiative.
But he indeed performed brilliantly, and Sikong Mansion was a place that valued results, so there was still room for negotiation, and it boiled down to how much they would reimburse him.
Ten days later, news came from Jianye City in Qi Country that the entire Shan Sect spy system remained intact, the Six-Ear Palace’s identification thoroughly failed, stopping hundreds of cultivators from leaving the city, involving various Daoist sects, causing outrage and resentment.
By the time the Six-Ear Palace finally realized what was happening, the damage had been done, and they had lost both face and substance.
Reportedly, the high ranks of the Six-Ear Palace issued a kill-on-sight order against Hou Niao, the instigator, permitting unrestricted action against him within Qi Country.
The news confirmed, Hou Niao’s merit was secured, and a Special Merit was awarded, during which he took the opportunity to strike while the iron was hot, also solving his Spirit Stone issue—this was the best time, while everyone regarded it as a classic case, fresh in memory.
About the allocation of Spirit Stones, in any Daoist lineage or power, it was a domain outsiders mustn’t touch lightly, involving too much, not something one person could decide.
Hou Niao took his list and approached one Golden Core after another for approval, calculating that to finally get the Spirit Stones approved, it had to pass through five judges and assistants successively, which was a complex process.
Did he really lack these Spirit Stones?
As Li Chuping had said, in the treasure-rich Lizhi Sea, he had controlled power for over a decade, and a few more rounds of such expenses wouldn’t shake his foundation; the key was, it offered a chance to make connections with the various Golden Core Shangguan, which was his real goal.
Having no connections, then go and expand, familiarize, woo, corrupt…
if all else fails then…
He reported 2,100 Top Grade Spirit Stones, the first judge, Wu, chopped 200 off, the second, Han Biejia, cut another 200, and so on.
By the last judge, his list had reduced to 1,300 Spirit Stones, closely approaching the actual expenses.
For these shrewd people at Sikong Mansion, some things are just too hard to hide.
The last decision-maker, Golden Core Wan, was the chief steward of Sikong Mansion, overseeing all resource transactions, an obstacle Hou Niao couldn’t avoid.
Also, was this gentleman subtly setting traps and throwing challenges during the debriefing?