Floating Immortal Order

Chapter 130: Every Matter

Chapter 130: Every Matter

Zhao Xingchang let go of the woman in his arms and took the wooden box. He sniffed it lightly and nodded his head as he spoke. “Not bad. Realm Master Wei is quite considerate. Tell him that Senior Martial Brother Li and I accept his kind intentions.”

Wei Xiong responded compliantly and bowed once more before withdrawing to one side.

Several Cangming Peak affairs disciples seated in the hall below silently bore contempt for Zhao Xingchang.

He even had to use Senior Martial Brother Li’s name in order to accept a small gift. He seriously had no sense of shame whatsoever.

Zhao Xingchang was actually extremely clever in doing this. No one would dare to criticize him over this matter and say that he should be passing these gifts along to Senior Martial Brother Li. But nonetheless, whether these things would actually reach his hands was a different matter.

Zhao Xingchang smiled and said, “But someone like Senior Martial Brother Li wouldn’t be interested in something from the Mortal Secret Realms, so I suppose I will hold onto it for Senior Martial Brother Li for now.”

Wei Xiong was a shrewd man, and pretended to not even hear these words. In deferential tone, he simply said, “Now that I have offered up our congratulatory gift, I will be heading back to the Fa Territory now, Martial Uncle Zhao.”

“Wait,” Zhang Xingchang said, his current display of indecency belying the means by which he was able to muddle his way to becoming the top henchman of Li Daoming. “As a direct descendent of Realm Master Wei, you don’t even have an interspatial ring? Wei Pingfan is a little too stingy, isn’t he?”

Zhang Xingchang was only at the peak Sea of Qi stage, but he currently held a huge amount of authority. His tone when speaking of the Dao Foundation stage Wei Pingfan was overly casual.

Zhang Xingchang gave a slight gesture, and Qin Gang understood his intent. He came forward and took out an entirely brand new interspatial ring, which he gave to Wei Xiong. “Wei Xiong, Senior Martial Brother Zhao wanted to grant this specially to you. Hurry up and thank him.”

Wei Xiong’s expression changed, filled with astonishment. Before he could stop himself, he reached out and took the interspatial ring. He kneeled on the ground and said respectfully, “Thank you so much, Martial Uncle Zhao.”

Zhao Xingchang waved his hand and said, “You can go now.”

Even after Wei Xiong got back on the Realm-Crossing Wooden Boat outside the hall, he still hadn’t regained his composure.

Because Wei Xiong was a clever-minded fellow and was quick with handling affairs, he had received Realm Master Wei Pingfan’s favor. This was his first time coming to the Shangqing Sacred Sect’s Cangming Peak on behalf of the Fa Territory. His actions immediately upon entering the hall had been the result of many prior practice attempts in private.

He totally didn’t expect to receive an interspatial ring so easily, which were considered extremely precious in the Fa Territory.

The Fa Territory was simply too small. Those that had stayed there for a long time were like frogs in a well.

As the Realm-Crossing Wooden Boat was about to enter the stormy vortex, Wei Xiong turned around and gazed off into the mist and clouds rolling among the hills of Wenyuan Mountain, his eyes filled with yearning.

Zhao Xingchang was fiddling around with the box containing the Snow Mountain Spirit Tea when a jade slip came flying into the great hall of Cangming Peak. A disciple flagged it down and handed it to Qin Gang.

Qin Gang looked through it, then stepped forward and reported, “Senior Martial Brother Zhao, Secret Realms Envoy Wei Yuanwei is bringing two intermediary disciples with him to the Chu Territory and the An Territory. They will be arriving at Cangming Peak momentarily.”

Zhao Xingchang didn’t comment on the news. He simply said, “Recently, there’ve been more and more people going to the Mortal Secret Realms. But I suppose this is a good thing for us. When it’s not the active disciple recruitment period, my Cangming Peak can accept a commission fee from people who want to go into the Mortal Secret Realms and recruit disciples.”

As he was speaking, a Dao Foundation stage youth appeared outside the great hall in a beam of light and walked directly into the hall. He was flanked closely by two Sea of Qi stage intermediary disciples.

“Envoy Wei of the Secret Realms office, what is your business?” Zhao Xingchang asked Wei Yuanwei, despite already being fully cognizant of his answer.

Wei Yuanwei’s expression and tone were cold and indifferent. “Under the authority of a Wayfaring Token from the main branch of Affairs Hall, I am to enter the Chu Territory and An Territory to recruit disciples. Peak Director Zhao, please prepare the Realm-Crossing tokens for the Chu and An Territories so we may set sail for those realms.”

In the end, Zhao Xingchang wasn’t Li Daoming. As a Dao Foundation stage Secret Realms Envoy, Wei Yuanwei had no need to be excessively courteous towards Zhao Xingchang.

“Going to two Mortal Secret Realms? Qin Gang, how much was our Cangming Peak’s fee again nowadays?” Zhao Xingchang asked in a posturing demeanor, inwardly somewhat unhappy upon seeing Wei Yuanwei’s strictly businesslike manner.

Catching the hints from Zhao Xingchang’s behavior, Qin Gang stepped forward and said, “Reporting to Peak Director Zhao and Envoy Wei; when it is not the active disciple recruitment period for the sect, Cangming Peak requires a fee of 130 spirit stones from the Secret Realm Envoy for every realm traveled to. Envoy Wei, if you would like to leave for the Chu Territory and An Territory, then according to the regulations of Cangming Peak, you must pay 260 spirit stones.”

Wei Yuanwei took out a storage pouch and handed it to Qin Gang, his expression just as deadpan as before.

When Qin Gang received the pouch and looked inside, his expression became complex. “Envoy Wei, this…”

There were only 200 spirit stones inside!

It was Zhao Xingchang who had incited.Qin Gang into raising the price on the spur of the moment. According to the normal prices, traveling to a realm only cost 100 spirit stones each.

“Envoy Wei, what is the meaning of this?” Zhao Xingchang asked, his complexion changing slightly.

“Cangming Peak’s regulations? Are those regulations larger than the rules of the sect?” Wei Yuanwei challenged with a cold snort. “Peak Director Zhao, I am duly aware of the rule that going to each realm costs 100 spirit stones.”

Zhao Xingchang shot Qin Gang a rebuking glare as if to blame Qin Gang for raising the price too steeply.

This small of a sum of spirit stones didn’t really mean much to Cangming Peak or a Dao Foundation stage disciple like Wei Yuanwei. Moreover, these 200 spirit stones that Wei Yuanwei had put in the storage pouch originally came from the funds of Affairs Hall.

However, the problem lay in the face lost. The original price was 100 spirit stones, but them suddenly raising it by 30 spirit stones was no different from them completely making light of Wei Yuanwei’s position as a Dao Foundation stage Secret Realms Envoy.

They had forgotten that Li Daoming wasn’t here, and not many people would buy Zhao Xingchang’s act.

Qin Gang knew that he had fumbled on this matter, which left both Zhao Xingchang and Wei Yuanwei in an awkward position. His expression turned unsightly, but he summoned up the courage to say, “Envoy Wei, we will cut you a discount this time and instead request that you pay 210 spirit stones to Cangming Peak.”

Only raising the price by 10 spirit stones left both sides a way to deescalate the situation.

Wei Yuanwei’s glacial expression eased up a little, but he still said, “200 spirit stones. No more, no less.”

Zhao Xingchang’s expression similarly turned unsightly. Wei Yuanwei’s attitude on this matter was giving Cangming Peak zero face whatsoever, and he was clearly disregarding Zhao Xingchang, who had only recently risen to his position.

However, in all his unhappiness towards Wei Yuanwei’s attitude, Zhao Xingchang forgot that by subtly hinting to Qin Gang to raise the price, he had been the first one to cause Wei Yuanwei to lose face.

At this point, Zhao Xingchang felt convinced that all of this was Wei Yuanwei’s fault. From this, it was clear just how selfish of a person Zhao Xingchang was.

However, Wei Yuanwei had a Wayfaring Token from Affairs Hall, and had already handed over 200 spirit stones. He couldn’t refuse to give the order to let them set sail.

But most importantly, if he were to give in and compromise here, his face as the newly appointed Peak Director would be henceforth completely nonexistent. The other Dao Foundation stage Secret Realm Envoys would become even more inattentive of his honor.

Seeing that Wei Yuanwei had already taken out the Wayfaring Token and was holding it in his hand, Zhao Xingchang clenched his teeth and prepared to give the order to let them set sail.

The Wayfaring Token was a special kind of decree that Affairs Hall gave out to affairs disciples. Once it was handed out, no disciples were permitted to obstruct the affairs disciple from carrying out their tasks.

“You will pay 260 spirit stones as mentioned earlier. Not even one spirit stone can be short,” a flat voice resounded throughout the hall as an elegant man strode into the hall, escorted by a number of disciples. He shot Zhao Xingchang a glance and said, “Zhao Xingchang, you call this ruling the Peak? If you keep this up, what will happen to the dignity of my Cangming Peak?”

“Senior Martial Brother Li!” The disciples in the hall hurriedly stood up and bowed in greeting.

One of the disciples standing by Zhao Xingchang near the seat of honor in the hall revealed a smile that looked as if his evil schemes had gone successfully.

Another one of Li Daoming’s henchmen, Yu Jia, who was slightly inferior in bootlicking ability, had lost to Zhao Xingchang back during the contention over who would rule Cangming Peak.

Seeing the petty exchange going on between Zhao Xingchang and Wei Yuanwei, he secretly sent out an urgent jade slip that explained the happenings on this matter to Li Daoming.

Although Li Daoming no longer held a position at Cangming Peak, the people here were pretty much all his former subordinates. After hearing that his former subordinates were supposedly being humiliated, he brought several disciples from Affairs Hall and hurried over.

“Deacon Li,” Wei Yuanwei cupped his hands in greeting, his expression no longer as cold and indifferent as before.

Although Li Daoming was only at the peak Sea of Qi stage, he was now one of the Deacons of Spirit Origin Hall at the main branch of Affairs Hall, which could truly be considered an illustrious position.

“So you’re here, Envoy Wei,” Li Daoming said. He had ruled over Cangming Peak for several years, so they were long since acquainted. “Pay the spirit stones. From now on, Cangming Peak’s regulations state that every trip to a realm costs 130 spirit stones.”

Wei Yuanwei’s expression wavered slightly. Even though Wei Yuanwei held someone like Zhao Xingchang in disdain, no one dared to disregard Li Daoming’s words now that he himself was present.

Wei Yuanwei handed over 60 spirit stones. With a light snort, he followed after Qin Gang, who had taken out the realm-crossing token earlier, and was now quickly leading the way out of the great hall.

Xu Disheng and the other intermediary disciple followed after him.

Li Daoming didn’t spare any further attention to Wei Yuanwei and the other two disciples following him. When he turned to look at Zhao Xingchang, his tone grew cold as he said, “Zhao Xingchang, you aren’t suited to rule this Peak. I order you to immediately write a jade slip to Affairs Hall and resign from this position.”

He looked over at Yu Jia, whose expression concealed a hint of expectation deep within. Shaking his head, he said, “I will hand in a jade slip to the main branch of Affairs Hall and recommend Yu Jia as the one to assume rule over Cangming Peak.”

Yu Jia’s complexion became exultant. “Thank you so much for the promotion, Senior Martial Brother Li!” he exclaimed loudly.

Zhao Xingchang’s face was ashen. He had hardly taken the throne over the peak for 2 days. His buttocks hadn’t even finished warming the seat before he was removed from the position. He couldn’t help being swallowed by regret. Why did he have to care so much about his own face, and why did he have to give Wei Yuanwei a hard time?

Even now, he hadn’t realized that in the first place, he never had any face to speak of, standing before a Dao Foundation stage Secret Realms Envoy like Wei Yuanwei. The only face he had actually came from Li Daoming.

“Me raising this matter with Wei Yuanwei was all to protect your honor, Senior Martial Brother Li,” Zhao Xingchang stepped forward and said with a tone full of wrongful grievance, demonstrating his instinctual bootlicking prowess.

Gazing at Zhao Xingchang, Li Daoming said, “Forget it. Just come with me to the main branch of Spirit Origin Hall and act as an intermediary disciple.”

After all, Zhao Xingchang was someone who had followed him for years. Putting him down in a place where so many of his followers were present would only hurt their opinion of him.

“Thank you so much, Senior Martial Brother Li!” Zhao Xingchang said deferentially, his expression filled with joy.

He was no longer ruler of the Peak, and the two statuses of the two positions were worlds apart.

But as long as he could stay by his Senior Martial Brother Li’s side, he would never be short of cultivation resources, spirit stones, or beautiful women.

Zhao Xingchang felt it was a shame that he would have to let go of the beautiful ladies he just brought into Cangming Peak. He would simply have to concede those small advantages to that bastard Yu Jia.

He looked over at the attractive women in the hall, silently filled with regret.

Although these female disciples were all outer disciples, they had specific posts. They were affairs disciples of Cangming Peak, not concubines, so there was no way he could bring them with him.

After Qin Gang activated a Realm-Crossing Wooden Boat and handed the realm-crossing token to Wei Yuanwei, he returned to the hall.

“Xu Disheng, Xing Xing. Each of you hand over 30 spirit stones,” Wei Yuanwei said flatly, boarding the wooden boat first.

Xu Disheng didn’t hesitate, taking out 30 spirit stones from his interspatial ring and placing them on a desk on the wooden boat.

Xing Xing’s complexion fell. “Envoy Wei, I…”

“Hm? You came to the Secret Realms on behalf of your backer to carry out business, and you want me to pay the spirit stones for you?” Wei Yuanwei said, a cold light flickering in his eyes as he looked at Xing Xing. He was clearly unhappy about being one-upped by Li Daoming earlier.

“No, no, I wouldn’t dare,” Xing Xing mumbled, very painfully and reluctantly taking out 30 spirit stones and placing them on the desk.

Wei Yuanwei snorted coldly and put away the 60 spirit stones. Then, he grasped the realm-crossing token and activated it.

A violent, stormy vortex appeared in the air above the great hall, growing larger and larger. Once the portal stabilized, the Realm-Crossing Wooden Boat rose up into the air and went through.

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