Jiang Ling’er blushed furiously.
She hastily tapped the bell in her hand and said, "I’m here, I’m here, Auntie! Senior Brother is looking for you!"
The bell jingled lightly. A sensuous and enchanting leopard-print figure slowly materialized in the forest.
Jiang Yourong’s appearance was as ethereal and beautiful as always. However, her face now sported a faint blush, and her eyes were filled with clear discomfort.
Good heavens! How many years has it been since I’ve eschewed all worldly desires? And yet, I was nearly thrown off by the nonsense those young ladies were prattling about. How mortifying!
"Senior? Senior?" In a daze, Wang Xiu’s voice gradually became clearer.
Coming back to her senses, Jiang Yourong coughed twice and pretended nothing was amiss. "Speak!"
Wang Xiu, rubbing his hands and wearing a big smile, said, "Senior, you must be quite bored staying inside that bell all day, right? I happen to have a spare position here. Would you care to give it a try?"
At these words, Jiang Yourong’s brows furrowed slightly. "You little rascal, you actually think you can make me work for you? You’ve got some nerve, huh? No chance!"
Of course, she couldn’t accept! She was the last figurehead of the mighty Jiuli Immortal Sect! It was already humiliating enough to have been reduced to a mere wisp of a spirit. And now, she was expected to work for Luo Binglan’s disciple? If word of that got out, how could she ever show her face again?
Wang Xiu quickly tried to pacify her. "Senior, please don’t rush to refuse. Hear me out! I plan to establish a Jiuli Hall in this blessed land, and you would be the Hall Master!"
Upon hearing this name, a sparkle of interest appeared in Jiang Yourong’s eyes. Staring at Wang Xiu, she asked, "What do you mean?"
Wang Xiu explained, "It’s simple! Look at this blessed land; it’s crawling with Devil Souls. All you need to do is refine some Soul Pets when you’re not busy! Once their repayment amounts meet my requirements, you can gift them a Soul Pet!"
Jiang Yourong’s eyebrows shot up. "For free?"
Wang Xiu affirmed, "For free!"
Jiang Yourong took a deep breath, her magnificent chest heaving tumultuously as she said with pride, "Absolutely not! That’s out of the question! Back in the day, countless talented cultivators of the Righteous Path, even Saint Heirs and Saintesses, would have struggled to acquire a Soul Pet from my Jiuli Immortal Sect despite offering a fortune! To give them away for free? Where would the Jiuli Immortal Sect’s honor be?"
[Detected someone bragging nearby. Congratulations, Host, for receiving +66 Mana!]
Wang Xiu chuckled. "Rest assured, Senior, your contribution will undoubtedly be rewarded!"
Jiang Yourong paused, then scoffed, "Are you trying to buy me with money? You little rascal, what do you take me for? Am I the kind of person who would sell herself for money?"
Wang Xiu hurriedly said, "Of course not! Senior, your integrity is noble and pure. You treat money like dirt, embodying the dignity of the entire Righteous Path and the Jiuli Immortal Sect! How could mere earthly possessions sway your heart in the slightest? I never even thought of giving you money! That would be an insult to you!"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yourong’s expression faltered.
Not even offering money? Trying to freeload? That’s even less acceptable!
As if guessing her thoughts, Wang Xiu hastily continued with a heartfelt explanation, "Senior! You might not realize it, but I’m doing this to help you!"
Jiang Yourong paused. "Help me?"
Wang Xiu said, "Exactly! You saw how lively it was today. Do you think I need any other tactics to attract people to borrow money from me?"
Jiang Yourong recalled the Sanqing Immortal Sect disciples’ frenzied reactions upon seeing the Spirit Stone Mine and subconsciously shook her head. ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ N0veI.Fiɾe.net
Each one of them looked like they hadn’t seen money in several lifetimes. Chances were, they wouldn’t even be willing to leave the Spirit Stone Mine if you asked them to right now.
"So, you see! The reason I’m asking you to make Soul Pets to give away isn’t for my own sake, but to help you build the reputation of the Jiuli Immortal Sect!" Wang Xiu said with utmost earnestness. "To tell you the truth, despite my master constantly bickering with you, she holds the Jiuli Immortal Sect in high esteem! She often tells me about the old days of the Jiuli Immortal Sect—how valiantly it charged into battle, how active it was on the front lines resisting the Demon Race’s armies, and how bravely its ancestors sacrificed themselves!
"Whenever I recall those heroic stories, my heart stirs tumultuously, and I find myself unable to sleep through the night! I genuinely cannot bear to see such a great Immortal Sect completely erased from history!
"But with my meager cultivation level, I really can’t do anything major for the Jiuli Immortal Sect. All I can offer... is my humble contribution!
"Just imagine, if one day, every disciple of the Sanqing Immortal Sect carried a Soul Pet you crafted, went out to slay demons, and became renowned throughout the world... Wouldn’t the reputation of the Jiuli Immortal Sect resound just as loudly? Given time, as Junior Sister Ling’er’s cultivation level grows and your own recovers, with a single call to arms, how many people in Nanzhou would be eager to join the Jiuli Immortal Sect? Wouldn’t reviving Jiuli be as easy as taking something from your own pocket?"
Hearing this, Jiang Yourong envisioned the scene Wang Xiu described. A flush of excitement crossed her face, and a flicker of temptation appeared in her eyes.
Seeing his chance, Wang Xiu immediately continued, "Just as you said, Senior! The Soul Pets of the Jiuli Immortal Sect are priceless! In fact, their value is beyond what money can measure! Therefore, they cannot be sold. They can only be given away for free!"
That’s right. This was the method Wang Xiu had just devised. When he saw those female cultivators fawning over Jiang Ling’er’s big white rabbit, unable to let go, he finally had his answer.
He finally understood what he could use to motivate those female cultivators to be self-reliant and mine diligently! In this world, aside from money, is there anything with a greater power to captivate girls than cute pets?
As long as their cumulative repayment amount reached a certain number, they would receive a Soul Pet. Moreover, to prevent those fawning men from simply giving their Soul Pets to other female cultivators, the gift would be forcibly bonded. A Spirit Contract would be signed, and if it were ever terminated, the Soul Pet would vanish into ash!
By then, he wouldn’t have to worry about the sect’s female disciples being reluctant to mine!
Ahem. Wang Xiu composed himself, still gazing at Jiang Yourong with an earnest expression full of deep, sincere emotion.
Jiang Yourong was somewhat swayed. After a moment of consideration, she said, "There are too many Devil Souls in this blessed land. If their Soul Pets devour too many and their spirits collapse and disintegrate... would I have to craft a new one for them?"
Wang Xiu waved his hand dismissively. "No need for such trouble! I’ve already thought about that. We’ll set up another department within Jiuli Hall—call it the Pet Hospital!"
"Yes. In a moment, I will teach you and Ling’er the ’Ming Emperor Soul Cleansing Spell’. This technique is extraordinarily effective for purifying spirits. With just a little mana, you can help purify the Soul Pets!" Wang Xiu said with a smile.
The Ming Emperor Soul Cleansing Spell was a Chapter from the Ming Emperor’s Hell-Confining Scripture. Mastering it was quite difficult. But for Jiang Yourong and Jiang Ling’er, who hailed from the Jiuli Immortal Sect, reaching an intermediate level of proficiency was not hard at all. It would be more than enough to open a Pet Hospital and solve some of the Soul Pets’ more complicated issues.
Of course, the Soul Pets can be given away for free. But treatment? That must be charged for! Kekeke...