Zhongzhou City, Sect Mission Hall.
Yuyi handed the sect mission token to the elder. The elder took it and examined it, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes. He looked up at the group behind Yuyi and nodded. "The mission was completed excellently. Your coordination in slaying the demonic beasts was seamless, and your selfless distribution of the spoils is commendable."
The elder retrieved a storage ring and handed it to Yuyi. "The original reward was two hundred thousand Spirit Stones, but considering your performance, the sect has specially added one hundred thousand Spirit Stones as a bonus. That makes three hundred thousand Spirit Stones in total."
Yuyi accepted the storage ring, extending his divine sense into it to sense the abundant spiritual energy fluctuations within. He turned and handed the storage ring to Lingxiao. "This mission succeeded thanks to everyone. You distribute the rewards."
Lingxiao waved his hand. "You're the mission initiator. You distribute them."
"That's right, Yuyi, you distribute them." Liuchen smiled from the side. "We trust you."
Yuyi no longer declined. He distributed the Spirit Stones along with the forty thousand Spirit Stones obtained from selling the Dharma Artifacts. Each person stored their Spirit Stones, faces bright with joy. The harvest from this mission was substantial, enough to support their cultivation needs for some time.
"Let's go to Tianxiang Pavilion to celebrate!" Lingxiao waved his hand grandly, his spirit soaring. "Today, I'm treating everyone!"
"You're treating?" Liuchen teased. "Do you even have enough Spirit Stones?"
"If not, you all can chip in!" Lingxiao laughed heartily.
The group arrived at Tianxiang Pavilion and selected a spacious private room. Spirit wine and delicacies flowed in continuously, their aromas filling the air. As cups were raised and exchanged, the atmosphere grew increasingly lively.
Fenghan raised his wine cup and sighed. "Speaking of which, the Spirit Stones from this mission were earned with a clear conscience."
Moyan nodded. "Indeed. When that pile of Spirit Stones was before us, I almost persuaded Youying to keep them. Thinking back now, I feel ashamed."
"I was tempted too." Fenghan admitted honestly. "But ultimately, I held fast to my Dao heart. For a cultivator, if one cannot resist even this temptation, how can one speak of the Great Dao?"
"Fortunately, we held our ground back then." Moyan raised his cup. "Come, let's toast to our Dao hearts."
Everyone clinked cups. The wine fragrance entered their throats, spiritual energy circulated, and body and mind felt at ease.
Yuyi set down his wine cup, his gaze casually sweeping across the main hall. Suddenly, he saw a familiar figure.
It was a young woman, sitting by the window. Across from her sat a woman as cold as ice. The young woman was the mysterious creditor who had once saved Yuyi.
Yuyi froze for a moment, complex emotions welling up in his heart. That debt had always weighed on him. Now that he had Spirit Stones, he could finally repay it.
"Yuyi, what are you looking at?" Liuchen followed his gaze and immediately grew interested. "Oh, looking at a beauty?"
"No." Yuyi shook his head. "That's my creditor."
"Creditor?" Lingxiao was confused. "You owe her money?"
"Yes." Yuyi stood up. "I'm going to repay the debt."
"Go ahead, go ahead." Liuchen smirked. "Remember to seize the opportunity."
Yuyi ignored Liuchen's teasing. He took a deep breath and walked toward the young woman. He felt somewhat nervous, but more than that, he felt relieved. Once the debt was cleared, there would be no more ties.
The young woman seemed to sense someone approaching and looked up. Seeing Yuyi, a flicker of surprise crossed her eyes, followed by an amused smile.
"It's you." The young woman's voice was clear and melodious.
"It's me." Yuyi walked to the table and spoke earnestly. "I was helped by you before and have been unable to repay you. Today I happened to encounter you, so I've come specifically to repay the debt."
"Oh?" The young woman raised an eyebrow. "You still remember you owe me money?"
"Of course." Yuyi retrieved a storage ring from his robes. "I originally owed you ten thousand Spirit Stones. Now, with principal and interest, I'm giving you five hundred thousand Spirit Stones."
As he spoke, he took out five hundred thousand Spirit Stone vouchers and placed them on the table.
The young woman froze for a moment, then exchanged a glance with the icy woman across from her. They both burst into laughter.
"Hahaha!" The young woman laughed so hard she nearly doubled over. "You... you took it seriously?"
Yuyi looked at them in confusion. "Isn't it five hundred thousand?"
The young woman finally managed to stop laughing, wiping the corners of her eyes. "I was joking. You owed me ten thousand Spirit Stones back then. Repaying ten thousand is enough. Five hundred thousand? Are you trying to buy me too?"
Yuyi finally realized he had been tricked, his face growing warm. He put away the extra Spirit Stone vouchers, leaving only ten thousand on the table. "Then... here is ten thousand Spirit Stones."
The young woman looked at the Spirit Stone vouchers on the table, a complex expression crossing her eyes. She collected the vouchers and gazed earnestly at Yuyi. "My name is Xuying. This is my friend Hanshuang, one of the top ten experts of Tianyin Pavilion."
"Yuyi." Yuyi nodded in greeting. "Farewell."
He turned and returned to his companions' table, still feeling somewhat confused. The laughter of Xuying and Hanshuang made him feel a bit awkward.
Xuying watched Yuyi's retreating figure, an amused glint in her eyes. She picked up her teacup, took a light sip, and teased, "Hanshuang, do you think this person is foolish or not? I casually mentioned five hundred thousand, and he actually took out five hundred thousand Spirit Stone vouchers."
A faint smile appeared on Hanshuang's icy face. "Indeed foolish. But this kind of foolishness is rare. In the cultivation world, full of deceit and betrayal, someone as honest as him is uncommon."
"Yes." Xuying set down her teacup, resting her chin on her hand, her eyes shimmering. "When I saved him back then, I just thought it was interesting. I didn't expect him to actually take this debt to heart."
Hanshuang glanced at her, her tone carrying a hint of teasing. "You seem very interested in this Yuyi. Could it be... you've developed feelings?"
Xuying froze for a moment, then laughed. "Feelings? How could that be? I merely investigated him."
"Investigated?" Hanshuang raised an eyebrow.
"Yes." Xuying nodded. "He has fallen several times, yet never gave up. Such perseverance is rare. I was curious about what kind of person he was, so I had someone look into him."
"What did you find?"
"An ordinary person." Xuying sighed softly. "Mediocre aptitude, mediocre luck. But he has a tenacity that makes one want to see how far he can go."
Hanshuang stood up, straightening her robes. "Since he's been so honest with us, we can't just take these five hundred thousand Spirit Stone vouchers for nothing. Let's go to Lingbao Pavilion and spend them."
Xuying smiled and nodded. The two settled the bill and departed.
Meanwhile, Yuyi had just sat down when Liuchen leaned over, eager for gossip. "How did it go? Any stories from repaying the debt?"
"Nothing." Yuyi shook his head. "She was joking, and I took it seriously."
Everyone laughed, and the atmosphere grew even livelier.
Yuyi, however, was somewhat distracted. He glanced in the direction of Xuying and Hanshuang. The two were conversing in low voices, occasionally looking his way.
"Yuyi, are you alright?" Lanxin asked with concern.
"I'm fine." Yuyi came back to his senses and smiled. "I just feel a bit tired. I want to return to Xuantian Sect to comprehend my technique."
"Leaving already?" Lingxiao was surprised.
"Yes." Yuyi nodded. "This mission brought significant gains. I want to go back and cultivate properly."
"That makes sense." Youying supported. "Cultivation is important."
"Then I'll take my leave first." Yuyi stood up and cupped his hands to everyone. "Everyone, until we meet again."
"Take care!" Lingxiao and Liuchen said in unison.
Yuyi turned toward the stairs, his figure disappearing around the corner.
No sooner had he left than Yunyou scoffed. "Finally gone."
Liehuo chimed in. "Yes, carrying a burden like that is truly troublesome. If not for us on this mission, he would have fallen long ago."
Lanxin frowned. "Yunyou, Liehuo, how can you say that? Yuyi is also a member of the team."
Qingyi added, "Exactly. Yuyi may be weaker in strength, but he works very hard."
"Hard work?" Yunyou scoffed. "What use is hard work? The cultivation world values strength. He's merely at the Qi Refining Realm. Isn't he dragging us down enough?"
Moyan tried to mediate. "Yunyou, are you in a bad mood today?"
"My mood is excellent!" Yunyou said angrily. "I simply can't stand his self-important attitude. Does he think he's so remarkable?"
Lingxiao said gravely, "Yunyou, Yuyi is my brother. I know his character. He is no weaker than anyone."
"No weaker than anyone?" Yunyou sneered. "He hasn't even reached Foundation Building. On what grounds is he no weaker than anyone?"
"On the strength of his heart." Lingxiao said earnestly. "Yuyi's mental fortitude is stronger than most. Please do not look down on him."
Moyan hurriedly smoothed things over. "Alright, alright. Yunyou is just in a bad mood. Let's not argue."
Yunyou and Lingxiao exchanged glances, both holding back words.
Youying suddenly spoke, her voice serious. "I don't care how you view Yuyi, but I will not allow anyone to belittle him."
Yunyou's expression changed. "Youying, what do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said." Youying said calmly. "Yuyi deserves respect."
"Deserves respect?" Yunyou stood up abruptly, jealousy flashing in his eyes. "Youying, have you fallen in love with him?"
Youying's expression darkened. "Yunyou, what nonsense are you speaking?"
"Nonsense?" Yunyou sneered. "Your defense of him is plain for all to see. Do you take me for a fool?"
Youying was about to retort in anger when suddenly a cold voice came from the stairwell.
"I need neither sympathy nor pity."
Everyone was startled and turned to look.
Yuyi stood at the stairwell, his face expressionless, his gaze cold. He had clearly heard the entire argument.
"Yuyi..." Lanxin stood up. "You..."
"I remember kindness, and I remember grudges." Yuyi's voice was calm but carried a piercing chill. "Youying, Lanxin, Qingyi, Lingxiao, Liuchen, thank you."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over Yunyou and Liehuo. "As for the others, until we meet again."
With that, he turned and employed his movement technique. His figure was like lightning, instantly vanishing around the stairwell corner.
In another corner of Tianxiang Pavilion, Xuying and Hanshuang were about to leave when they both stopped.
"Sound Transmission Art?" Hanshuang frowned slightly.
Xuying nodded. Using their divine sense, they captured the argument from the private room above. After Yuyi left coldly, Xuying sighed softly. "So-called righteous sects are no different. On the surface, all harmony; behind the scenes, so calculating."
Hanshuang sneered. "This is what they call the Righteous Path. That Yuyi fellow has some backbone. Being so despised, he merely said 'I need no sympathy' and walked away. That spirit is stronger than those who only know how to flatter."
"A pity." Xuying shook her head, regret in her eyes. "His aptitude is mediocre to begin with, and he joined a small sect like Xuantian Sect with no future. Even with such pride, how far can he go?"
Hanshuang was silent for a moment, then said indifferently, "Perhaps. But on the path of cultivation, who can say for certain?"
Xuying said nothing more and departed with Hanshuang.
"Yuyi!" Youying, Lingxiao, and Liuchen stood up simultaneously and rushed out.
But Yuyi had already vanished into the crowd, nowhere to be found.
Lanxin and Qingyi turned to look at Yunyou, their eyes full of reproach.
Yunyou's face was pale, his lips trembling. "I... I didn't mean to..."
"Your jealousy is too heavy." Moyan sighed.
Tianxiang Pavilion remained lively, but in one corner, an irreparable rift had been left behind.