Chapter 38: I Am Sorry, Young Sect Master, But He Offered Too Much

The next day.

As soon as Li Wudao arrived at the foot of Xuantian Peak, he was blocked once again.

"Two senior brothers, didn't I come here just recently?"

Li Wudao looked at the two men with fierce expressions and said with a headache, "I am an old acquaintance of Junior Sister Jiang, and I have something important to discuss with her. Could you please make an exception?"

"This is the main peak. Unauthorized personnel are not allowed inside. Please return."

"Don't make things difficult for us. This is the Young Sect Master's decree; we cannot let you in under any circumstances."

The two guards were resolute.

"Damn it, that so-called Young Sect Master—could he be specifically targeting me to make my life miserable?"

Li Wudao’s mouth twitched. He recalled the last time he saw Wu Shaotian, remembering how the latter had been fawning over Jiang Churan while subtly belittling him. It was obvious that the Young Sect Master had taken a fancy to Jiang Churan as well. As for whether he viewed Li Wudao as an obstacle or a rival, that remained to be seen.

Li Wudao felt a bit frustrated. It would be quite embarrassing if he couldn't even make it past the mountain gate. However, no matter how he pleaded, the two guards remained unmoved, refusing him with absolute certainty.

"You had better leave now. If the Young Sect Master sees you later, you’ll be in for a rough time."

The two guards spoke coldly and moved forward as if to chase him away.

Just then, Li Wudao flicked his wrist and produced twenty low-grade spirit stones out of thin air.

Seeing this, the two guards stopped, their expressions turning stern.

"What is the meaning of this? Are you trying to bribe us?"

"Junior Brother, you look down on us a bit too much. Our integrity would never allow us to do such a thing. You have judged us wrongly!"

The two spoke in turn, their voices ringing with firm, unwavering righteousness.

Li Wudao didn't waste words. He flipped his hand again, produced another hundred low-grade spirit stones, and dropped them at his feet.

"This..."

The two men’s eyes narrowed, their tone faltering as they grew visibly tempted. Although they were gatekeepers, their salary was equivalent to that of inner-gate disciples, earning fifty low-grade spirit stones a month. The amount the young man had just tossed out casually was worth a month's pay even if split between them.

Li Wudao observed their reactions and curled his lip.

The next instant, he pulled out another two hundred low-grade spirit stones and dropped them to the ground.

Over three hundred spirit stones formed a small pile, crystalline and shimmering, brimming with spiritual energy, and incredibly eye-catching.

Instantly, the pupils of the two guards contracted, their eyes flashing with deep shock and greed.

"Haha, you certainly have a keen eye for character!"

"Forgive us, Junior Brother. We were too hasty earlier and didn't recognize you. Please, go right in!"

The two changed their attitudes faster than turning the pages of a book, hastily putting away their weapons and clearing a path. One was rubbing his hands together with a smile as bright as a chrysanthemum, while the other, nearly drooling, bent down to scoop up the spirit stones from the ground.

Such a transition from arrogance to subservience was truly laughable.

Throughout the process, Li Wudao didn't say another word. There was no need; the spirit stones spoke for themselves. In his past life, as an accomplished investment expert, he had long understood the essence of human nature. No one turns their back on money. If they do, it simply means the offer isn't high enough.

"Many thanks, then, to both of you. This won't cause you any trouble, will it?" Li Wudao flashed a professional smile.

"Not at all, not at all. Please, go ahead, Junior Brother." The two guards shook their heads like bobbleheads, beaming with joy.

Li Wudao nodded, cast a glance at the two men busy dividing the loot, and shook his head as he stepped through the gate. To him, these spirit stones were trivial, but to them, it was a fortune that could not be ignored. It was difficult for anyone to resist such temptation. Besides, he could have easily produced five hundred or a thousand more; he would always be able to break through their psychological defenses.

Li Wudao took out his voice-transmission jade slip and followed the spiritual signature.

A stick of incense later, he had wandered around until he arrived in front of an exquisite palace. A large, gilded character was striking on the plaque: *Jiang*.

Seeing this, Li Wudao understood. There was no mistake; this had to be the private palace of "Little Jiang." He had to admit, Jiang Churan was treated with extraordinary regard. Ordinary direct disciples were only entitled to a small residence, yet Jiang Churan held an entire small peak to herself. This palace alone covered at least a hundred acres, with red walls and emerald tiles, stretching out in a grand, endless display that one couldn't see the end of.

"My goodness, how opulent!" Li Wudao muttered to himself in astonishment. The decoration of the palace was both exquisite and noble; if it were a few times larger, it would truly rival an ancient imperial palace. He felt a myriad of emotions. Was this the treatment afforded to a direct disciple of a top-tier sect? It was indeed exceptional.

With a hint of envy, he walked through the grounds to the palace entrance. Two dignified-looking maids stood on either side of the door. He stepped forward to explain his purpose: "I have an appointment with Junior Sister Jiang. Please, could you notify her?"

The maid did not dare to be negligent. "Please wait, Young Master. The Young Lady is currently receiving the Young Sect Master. I will go in and ask for you immediately."

After the maid left, Li Wudao’s eyes flickered. He approached the other maid and discreetly slipped a small pouch of spirit stones into her hand.

"Does the Young Sect Master visit Junior Sister Jiang every day?"

"He comes to pay his respects every few days, but the Young Lady has always turned him away. Today, he was just so persistent that she reluctantly let him in. He’s been in there for about a quarter of an hour." The maid quietly pocketed the stones, her attitude becoming even more amiable as she spoke clearly.

Li Wudao grew thoughtful. It seemed Wu Shaotian was truly fixated on Jiang Churan.

*Creak—*

Suddenly, the palace doors opened, and three figures emerged. The first maid walked in front, standing timidly to the side and pointing toward Li Wudao. Jiang Churan and Wu Shaotian walked out one after the other, their gazes landing on the youth with different expressions.

"Junior Brother Li, we meet again. It has been a few days; you seem even more spirited than before," Wu Shaotian said, his eyes narrowing as he forced a smile.

"You flatter me, Young Sect Master. Compared to you, I am far behind," Li Wudao replied with a faint smile, his words airtight.

The two exchanged a few pleasantries, all of which were meaningless fluff. The atmosphere fell into a brief silence.

"Well, I have matters to attend to, so I shall take my leave. Junior Sister Jiang... I will come to bother you again next time." Wu Shaotian looked somewhat awkward, and before leaving, he cast a deep, meaningful look at Li Wudao.

Once he was far away, Li Wudao glanced at Jiang Churan's delicate face and teased, "Little Jiang, the way that Young Sect Master looked at you just now was a bit off. I'd bet he's taken a liking to you."

The young girl shot him a cold look, and surprisingly, she did not refute him. After a moment of silence, she said softly, "That man is calculating and deeply cunning; he is not a simple person. It would be best if you didn't provoke him right now."

Li Wudao did not commit, though his heart sank slightly. He feared that even if he didn't provoke Wu Shaotian, the other party wouldn't easily let him go. With his hundred-fold perception, his sensitivity to the world was exceptionally keen, and he had already faintly sensed the fluctuations of hostility from the man. That look before leaving was more like a warning.

The atmosphere turned heavy again. The two maids kept their heads down, not daring to utter a word.

"If it really comes down to it, Little Jiang, you could just give in to him, so as not to involve the innocent. I'm just an innocent bystander here!" Li Wudao said shamelessly, fanning the flames.

"I think you’ve lived long enough. If you want to die, I can fulfill that wish for you!" Jiang Churan's eyes turned sharp, and she shot him a fierce glare.

She knew exactly what kind of person Wu Shaotian was from her past life; he and Qi Xingyu were two of a kind, perhaps even worse. As the Young Sect Master, he put on the facade of a righteous gentleman—generous and approachable—but in private, he often acted like a villain, insidious and treacherous. She had once accidentally discovered him practicing forbidden arts left behind by the Demon Race and had secretly witnessed him harming many fellow disciples to seize their secret techniques and treasures. He was a person with a extreme contrast in personality—selfish and cold-blooded, capable of any means to achieve his goals. He was terrifying. How could such a person ever become the dao companion of her, the Empress Qingyao?

"My mistake, my mistake..." Seeing the girl was truly angry, Li Wudao immediately backed down, mastering the art of knowing when to yield.

"Hmph, if there is a next time, don't blame me for being heartless!" Jiang Churan huffed, turned, and walked into the palace, leaving behind a cold, distant silhouette.

"Are you not coming yet?" Seeing Li Wudao standing there foolishly, she stopped and turned, her brows slightly furrowed. "What, do you not want to practice your sword?"

"Coming, coming~" The youth chuckled and followed along eagerly.

The two maids looked at each other, their eyes full of curiosity and wonder. Wu Shaotian, as the Young Sect Master, held a position of such prestige, yet he had been repeatedly turned away when asking to see their Young Lady. That he managed to get in today was merely a stroke of luck, and it was hard to say for the future. Yet this youth named Li, whom they had never heard of, was able to enter on his first visit. Furthermore, judging by their attitude, the relationship between their Young Lady and this youth seemed quite familiar, which was very intriguing.

Meanwhile, at the foot of Xuantian Peak, the two guards were drooping their heads in defeat. In front of them, Wu Shaotian’s face was dark as he unleashed a scathing verbal lashing.

"You two pieces of trash! How many times did I tell you that you were under no circumstances to let that brat in? Are you deaf?" After speaking, he slapped both of them across the face. "I am absolutely furious!"

He paced back and forth, fuming. Thinking of how easily Li Wudao had gotten inside made him feel incredibly stifled. The two guards, appearing accustomed to this, silently endured the Young Sect Master’s wrath, their faces not looking particularly troubled. Compared to three hundred spirit stones, a mere physical beating was a trade-off they could easily rationalize.

They apologized and admitted their mistakes on the surface, but internally, they were both grumbling. *Sorry, Young Sect Master, we weren't going to let him in either at first, but we couldn't help it—he gave us just too much.*