Hwong Hyun sneered but said nothing.
Instead, Chen Mave piped up in her soft, gentle voice, "If you lose it, don't worry too much. As long as your Soul Lamp is still lit, you can always verify your identity at the sect and get a replacement. It's just... a bit costly—fifty spirit stones, to be exact."
Fifty spirit stones? Compared to his fine, that was peanuts!
Lordi Payne continued the question, "Senior sister, if I may ask... I was reading the sect rules yesterday, and it seems like almost everything can be resolved with spirit stones. The sect even gives people time to gather the funds. But... what happens if someone owes the Holy Sect a large amount and then just... disappears? Wouldn't that mean the sect suffers a loss?"
"Not a chance!" Sil Deshah, a usually cold and stone-faced beauty, shook her head firmly, a rare smile breaking through her icy demeanor. "The Holy Sect's the most lenient among sects and factions—everything's solvable with spirit stones. But everyone knows: you never owe the Holy Sect money and run away!"
Chen Mave hesitated for a moment, her voice soft and delicate, like the rustle of silk. "I... I heard a story once. It might be true, or perhaps just a tale to frighten disciples, but... it's chilling all the same." She paused, her hands clasped gently in her lap, her gaze downcast as if reluctant to continue.
"There was a senior disciple... who owed the Holy Sect a hundred spirit stones. It wasn't much, really, but... he was old, his cultivation stagnant, his potential exhausted. He thought... he thought he could escape. He took on a task, slipped away, and vanished into the world, hoping to start anew." Her voice trembled slightly, as if the weight of the story pressed on her.
"But the Holy Sect... they don't forgive. They sent three cultivators—each a full realm above him—to hunt him down. The hunt lasted... twenty years. Can you imagine? Twenty years of searching, tracking, unraveling every thread of his new life. They found everything—his new alias, the family he had built, the quiet life he had tried to create." She shuddered, her voice dropping to a whisper.
"When they found him... it wasn't quick. They... they peeled him alive, layer by layer. His family—his wife, his children—were ground to dust. Every last one. The enforcers left nothing behind but a message: The Holy Sect always collects."
She fell silent, her delicate features pale, as if the very act of recounting the story had drained her. "I... I hope it's just a story," she murmured, her voice barely audible. "But... I'm not so sure."
Lordi Payne's eyelid twitched, heart sank, but he kept his calm. "I see, how dare that guy! Daring to ditch a debt to the Holy Sect!"
He didn't dare continue on this topic, quickly pivoting to another. "By the way, Senior Brother Chen, what's our task this time?"
"We've claimed three tasks," Chen Haunt said with a warm smile. "Two tasks are for you and Mave-chan to cut your teeth on, near Lothgar City. The third one's for me, Hwong, Gum, and Sil—about three hundred miles from the city. We're hunting a sixth-layer Awakened stage beast. Too risky for you two, so we'll leave you in the city somewhere safe."
Chen Mei glanced at Lordi Payne shyly. Her big eyes stared in sincere "Junior Brother Payne, I'll need your help then. I hear it's deep in the woods—pitch-black even in daylight. Kinda spooky."
"Don't worry, Senior Sister Chen. I'll do my best," Lordi Payne replied gravely, while his mind raced: What shall i do?
In Chen Mave's story, that disciple only owed a hundred stones to holy sect. He was staring down 30,000—maybe 90,000!
Would the Holy Sect let that slide?
That old-timer knew the sect, the cultivation world, and had higher cultivation level than Lordi Payne—yet didn't escape. Lordi Payne wasn't betting on better luck.
If he didn't run, he'd have to pay.
How the hell was he supposed to cover a debt that big?
Mulling it over, he asked cautiously in respective tone, "Senior Brother Chen, may I inquire how many spirit stones you typically acquire from a journey such as this?"
"Well, Pay-kun, it all depends on how tricky the tasks are and how many we decide to take on," Chen Haunt said, his gentle smile radiating warmth, his voice as soft and comforting as a lullaby. "This time, we've got three in hand. For you and Mave-chan, I've chosen two that are light as a feather: delivering a letter to the jarl of Lothgar—oh, it's as simple as a stroll on a sunny day—and tidying up some flower demon beasts in a peaceful valley just outside the city. Nothing too hard, I promise you. I picked them special to keep you both safe and sound."
He paused, his eyes sparkling with a hint of gentle concern as he went on. "Now, the third task—well, that one's got a bit more spirit to it. It's a sixth-layer Enlightenment stage demon beast that needs a careful hand. A touch of a challenge, but don't you worry—we'll handle it together, like always."
"Once we've wrapped them all up, these three tasks should bring us over a hundred spirit stones," he said, his voice lifting with a quiet, infectious hope. "That's plenty to let us cultivate in peace back at the sect for a good long while—time to grow stronger, together."
"20 spirit stones." Tossing out a number, Chen Haunt figured would hook Lordi Payne. Then he remained his warm, caring gaze, "Junior Brother Payne, stick with our little squad, won't you? I'd be so happy to see you return with at least twenty low-grade spirit stones this trip. It's a wonderful start, and nothing would please me more than watching you flourish!"
Lordi Payne's brow creased. Three tasks for just over a hundred stones? Even if he took it all, he'd need hundreds—thousands—of runs to cover his fine!
Masking his dismay, he grinned happily. "Twenty stones? That'll support me a while. Great appreciate! Senior Brother Chen!"
Chen Haunt chuckled, the sound warm and rich, like the crackle of a hearth on a cold night. "We're sect comrades—not a problem."
The conversation shifted, as it often did, to cultivation. Hwong Hyun raised a question, his voice tinged with the eagerness of a novice, and Chen Haunt began to coach him with the patience of a seasoned mentor. Gum Torin chimed in now and then, his tone sharp and precise, like the edge of a well-honed blade. Sil Deshah, ever the quiet observer, sat with her eyes locked on Chen Haunt, her gaze soft and attentive, as if hanging on every word.
Lordi Payne listened briefly, but the advice was scattered, tied to their own cultivation paths—useless to him. His eyes scanned the group, lingering on Chen Mave, who sat apart from the others, her chin resting in her hands as she gazed at the scenery below. Her expression was distant, almost dreamy, as if she were lost in a world of her own.
Thinking fast, Lordi Payne sidled over and plopped down beside her, his movements casual, almost careless. "Beautiful view, isn't it?" he said, his tone light, conversational.
She glanced at him, her eyes narrowing slightly, but she didn't protest. Half an hour later, he'd gotten the information he wanted. That twenty-stone payout Chen Haunt mentioned? Top-tier for outer sect tasks. Sure, the Corpse Cloud rental cost ten stones, but that was because their destination was far and they lacked personal mounts. Otherwise, even Chen Haunt, a sixth-layer cultivator, wouldn't be willing to pay that expense.
In the sect, a Bone-Tempering Pill cost ten stones. Beyond tasks, the main cash flow came from mastering the sect's free skills lessons— forging, alchemy, Dao Fulu-crafting. Master any, and the spirit stones rolled in—earning way more than grunts who risked life and limb on tasks outside the sect.
Chen Mave even dished on Hugo Payne as a prime example. This Payne Clan's hair got Dao Fulu talent, that had caught a famous Fulu Peak lecturer's eye early on, nearly earning him a prized apprenticeship. But that clown fell hard for Sun Elaine, pulled shameful stunts, and let his cultivation and craft talent rot. That senior lecturer, fed up, dropped Hugo Payne cold. Thus, Lordi Payne's clan brother squandered his chance to change his life.
The story sparked Lordi Payne's interest—until he learned Hugo Payne took two full years to craft his first decent Dao Fulu. Then he lost all appetite. Two years? He'd be sect's materials in three months without that fine paid!
Just then, Hwong Hyun ended his questions on cultivation, exchanging a look with Gum Torin. The latter smirked, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. "Junior Brother Payne, road's dull. How about a spar? See if you and Junior Sister Chen can handle your tasks—keep things smooth. What do you say?"