Money, please.

“That Shang Ziliang is the son of Master Shang from Cloud Soaring Peak,” Xu Ziqing muttered to Chu Liang as they left the Sword Transmission Hall. “He always acts so high and mighty just because his father is the peak master. I’ve never liked him. And yet he keeps trying to get close to me—it’s so annoying.”

So that’s how it was.

The master of Cloud Soaring Peak, Shang Shuwen, was a refined scholar among the Shu Mountain sect, once having his name inscribed in the Hall of Gentlemen of Jiangnan—his reputation was renowned throughout the martial world. Yet his son seemed to be nothing like the stories told.

As Chu Liang pondered this, a streak of fire shot down from the southeast like a falling star, landing in the direction of Silver Sword Peak.

Chu Liang’s eyes immediately lit up.

“Ziqing, my master must have returned. I should go and greet her,” Chu Liang said.

“Oh…” The young girl nodded, watching his departing figure with a reluctant gaze.

Riding his sword back to Silver Sword Peak, Chu Liang saw, as expected, the peak master’s pavilion with its doors open. Inside, clad in a black robe with red trim, the Empress Phoenix sat grandly, her chest heaving with anger.

The Phoenix Spirit Blood Jade at her chest flickered in and out of sight.

“Master.” Chu Liang stepped forward. “Your disciple welcomes you back.”

“Hmm. Nothing happened while I was away?” Empress Phoenix asked.

“Nothing of concern. I completed another mission, and it went smoothly,” Chu Liang replied, then inquired, “And you, Master? Was your trip successful?”

“Don’t mention it.” At this, Empress Phoenix’s brows shot up in irritation. “I was searching the Eastern Sea for any signs of monsters, and then those folks from the Supreme Sect of Penglai accused me of disrupting the sea’s ecology! They insisted I leave! If it weren’t for the sake of the whole Shu Mountain sect, I’d have taught them a lesson myself!”

Chu Liang fell silent for a moment.

His master’s actions were exactly as he’d expected. Though she spoke lightly of hunting monsters, he could easily imagine that her methods were anything but gentle.

When monsters threatened, the Empress Phoenix would clear the danger for you; but when there were none, she herself became the danger.

She must have stirred up the Eastern Sea, causing enough havoc that the Penglai sect noticed and intervened. Penglai’s Supreme Sect was also one of the Nine Celestial Sects, with their territory around the Eastern Sea. Naturally, they wouldn’t tolerate such chaos on their own doorstep.

Their actions were justified.

Thinking thus, he said aloud, “The people from Penglai were truly rude!”

“Exactly!” Empress Phoenix nodded indignantly.

Then, as if realizing something was off, she raised her brows and glanced at Chu Liang. “You’re never this obedient, coming to greet me the moment I return. Do you want something from me?”

“Isn’t it natural for a disciple to welcome their master?” Chu Liang smiled. “However… I do have something I’d like to discuss with you.”

“Tch.” Empress Phoenix snorted. “Out with it.”

“On this recent mission, I happened to team up with disciples from Jade Sword Peak. There was one, already at the early stage of the Golden Core Realm, whose cultivation far surpassed mine. The sword he used and the divine abilities he wielded were all powerful beyond compare. And he’s not even considered one of their main disciples. I’m a little worried… When the Shu Mountain Summit comes, how am I supposed to compete with them?” Chu Liang said.

“You still have time to grow stronger. Believe in yourself,” Empress Phoenix replied carelessly.

Chu Liang pressed on, “So I was thinking of ways to improve myself. Apart from diligent cultivation, I realize I know too few divine abilities. I was hoping you could teach me some more powerful arts.”

“Divine abilities?” Empress Phoenix was momentarily taken aback. “Where would I get divine abilities to teach you?”

She spoke the truth.

Back when the head of Shu Mountain forbade her from taking disciples, it wasn’t just her unruly nature—it was also because she was a body cultivator.

Body cultivators, unlike martial artists, refined the flesh through the Dao, forging a powerful body rather than practicing martial arts. The Empress Phoenix possessed the Scarlet Flame Divine Phoenix Physique, her path rooted in body cultivation, with overwhelming power beyond question.

But body cultivators were exceedingly rare, requiring all sorts of fortuitous circumstances. What she had mastered was impossible to pass on.

Nevertheless.

Disciples of Shu Mountain could acquire divine abilities not only from their masters but also from the Hall of Guardians. If one sought arts even their master did not possess, they could purchase them directly from the Hall.

Chu Liang smiled faintly. “That’s why I’d like to buy some from the Hall of Guardians.”

Empress Phoenix narrowed her eyes, sensing a hint of danger. “Then go and buy them.”

“It’s just that… I’m a little short on funds…” Chu Liang said softly.

“Heh.” Empress Phoenix sneered. “So this is your real motive. All that roundabout talk, and you just want money, don’t you?”

“It’s all for the sake of your grand ambitions, Master,” Chu Liang replied earnestly, ever mindful of the art of conversation.

“Hmm…” Empress Phoenix propped her chin on her hand, sleeve slipping down to reveal a fair wrist. “You want divine arts or artifacts, I might be able to help. But money? I genuinely have none.”

“Don’t you receive a decent allowance from Shu Mountain? And isn’t there extra funding for peak masters…?” Chu Liang asked cautiously.

He had always been puzzled by their poverty on Silver Sword Peak, since childhood. He’d grown used to it, but as he grew older and saw the affluence of other peaks, he couldn’t help but wonder. Especially since he was the only disciple, so there was no need to divide resources.

Even if his master gave him a little pocket money each month, he could probably save enough to buy a flying sword.

“Alas.” Empress Phoenix sighed. “What can that little bit of money accomplish…? Not only am I penniless now, but I’m also deeply in debt.”

“How did that happen?” Chu Liang asked in confusion.

Empress Phoenix patted the wine gourd at her waist. “Do you think it’s easy to buy wine strong enough to get someone of my cultivation drunk? A gourd of Drunken Immortal Brew costs five hundred sword coins.”

“What?”

The wine he’d seen her drinking all his life—it turned out each gourd cost as much as a flying sword?

He was stunned.

This wasn’t just drinking; it was burning money.

“I’m telling you the truth. Aside from this Phoenix Spirit Blood Jade, I’ve never owned a single magical weapon or treasure, living solely by my physical strength. Even if you’re desperate for money, I have nothing left to sell. If I had to sell anything, it would have to be this body of mine.”

Chu Liang’s eyebrow twitched. “Is that… feasible?”

“Get lost.”

…

Chu Liang returned to his small cabin in dejection. His plan to get money had failed miserably, and he’d learned the distressing news that Empress Phoenix didn’t intend to quit drinking for at least a hundred years.

It seemed he would have to rely on himself from now on.

If he wanted flying swords, magical artifacts, pills, a bride price, or talismans, he’d have to save up on his own…

Or perhaps not buy them at all, and trust that monsters would drop them.

As he rounded the mountain slope, he unexpectedly ran into a familiar figure.

Thick eyebrows, bright eyes, a brocade robe, and an aura of vitality—it was Lin Bei, the disciple from Jade Sword Peak.

“Hey, hey, hey!”

On seeing Chu Liang, Lin Bei broke into a hearty laugh and called out, “Brother Chu, you’re finally back!”

“Brother Lin, what brings you here? Is something the matter?” Chu Liang asked.

“Of course!” Lin Bei beamed. “I’ve come upon a lucrative mission that requires two disciples who are not only skilled but also clever, resourceful, and, if I may say, dashing. Out of everyone in Shu Mountain, I can think of no better pair than you and me!”

Chu Liang ignored his flattery and asked, “Where is this mission?”

“Yanqiao City, at the Nanshan Academy.”