The moment they exited the Golden Lotus Pavilion and stepped back onto the bustling streets of Lotus City—
Ling Yue could no longer hold it in.
"Big Brother."
"Hm?"
She glanced around carefully before lowering her voice.
"Those spirit stones..."
Her expression became increasingly bewildered.
"They're incredibly valuable, right?"
Ling Wei nodded absentmindedly.
"Very."
Ling Yue frowned.
"Then why did you just hand one over?"
She stared at him in disbelief.
"If my calculations are correct, that single spirit stone is worth at least a thousand standard-grade spirit stones."
Her voice dropped even lower.
"And one standard-grade spirit stone is worth over a trillion low-grade spirit stones."
She shook her head slowly.
"That's unbelievable."
A brief pause followed before she continued.
"Why didn't you ask the Pavilion to give us whatever spirit stones they currently possessed first?"
"Even if they couldn't repay everything immediately, they should have at least given us what they had."
Her brows knitted together.
"Wouldn't that have been better?"
No response came.
Ling Yue blinked.
Then she turned her head.
And froze.
Ling Wei was smiling.
Not a normal smile.
Not a satisfied smile.
A wide—
almost frightening smile.
His eyes seemed slightly unfocused, as though he were staring at something far beyond the crowded streets.
As though he were imagining something wonderful.
Or perhaps something terrifying.
Ling Yue felt a chill run down her spine.
"...Big Brother?"
No response.
"...Big Brother."
Still nothing.
Her eye twitched.
Then—
THUMP!
Her fist slammed directly into his back.
"OW!"
Ling Wei nearly stumbled forward.
The strange smile vanished instantly.
He spun around.
"What was that for?!"
Ling Yue pointed at him accusingly.
"What's wrong with your face?!"
"My face?"
"You were smiling like a crazy person!"
Ling Wei blinked.
Then realization dawned on him.
"...Ah."
He coughed awkwardly.
"My apologies."
Ling Yue narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"You looked possessed."
"I was just thinking about something."
"Really?"
"Really."
She folded her arms.
"So you weren't listening to anything I said?"
Ling Wei paused.
"...Not most of it."
"..."
"..."
Ling Yue looked genuinely offended.
"You ignored everything?"
"I wasn't thinking straight."
Ling Wei rubbed his forehead.
"A lot happened in a very short amount of time."
"A lot happened?"
"You just discovered we're walking around with enough wealth to purchase entire clans."
Ling Yue opened her mouth.
Then slowly closed it again.
Fair point.
Ling Wei exhaled.
"That's why I never thought about asking for whatever spirit stones the Pavilion currently possessed."
He glanced back toward the distant Golden Lotus Pavilion.
"Though..."
His expression became thoughtful.
"...that may actually have been the correct decision."
Ling Yue blinked.
"Hm?"
"What do you mean?"
Ling Wei continued walking.
His pace unconsciously quickened.
"We've already attracted enough attention."
"The moment we started demanding large quantities of spirit stones as change, people would have started asking questions."
Ling Yue thought about it.
Then slowly nodded.
That made sense.
The Pavilion's staff had already been shocked by the transaction.
If they suddenly began gathering enormous quantities of spirit stones to pay them back—
people would definitely become curious.
And curiosity led to investigation.
Investigation led to trouble.
Trouble led to...
Both siblings immediately thought of the white-scaled lizard.
Neither spoke for several seconds.
Finally—
Ling Yue looked toward her brother.
"So what were you smiling about?"
Ling Wei's steps paused briefly.
Then resumed.
The corner of his mouth twitched upward.
Almost.
"...Nothing."
Ling Yue immediately knew he was lying.
"Big Brother."
"It was nothing."
"You're lying."
"It wasn't important."
"You were smiling like a villain."
Ling Wei sighed.
Then finally relented.
"...I was thinking about what the manager said."
"The part about one spirit stone being worth more than everything we bought?"
"Exactly."
Ling Yue's eyes widened.
Then understanding slowly appeared on her face.
Very slowly.
Because she suddenly remembered the pile.
Not one spirit stone.
Not two.
Not ten.
An entire pile.
Casually tossed onto the floor.
As though they were nothing more than ordinary pebbles.
The siblings looked at each other.
Then both immediately looked away.
Neither wanted to think about it too deeply.
Because the conclusion was terrifying.
The wealth possessed by the creature residing in their courtyard was likely beyond anything they could even begin to comprehend.
After several moments—
Ling Yue finally muttered,
"...That's absurd."
Ling Wei nodded.
"Very."
Silence followed.
Then Ling Yue spoke again.
"...We're definitely not robbing him."
Ling Wei nearly laughed.
"That thought never even crossed my mind."
"Good."
"Because I'd like to continue living."
"I'd also like that."
The two quickened their pace.
The crowded streets blurred around them.
Neither paid attention to the merchants.
Nor the bustling city.
Only one thought remained in their minds.
*Get back before the deadline.*
---
The two siblings moved through the Ling Clan estate at nearly a jog.
Neither wasted even a second.
The storage pouch hanging from Ling Wei's waist contained enough resources to make countless cultivators green with envy.
And neither of them wanted to imagine what would happen if they arrived late.
Soon—
they reached the secluded courtyard.
The familiar silence greeted them.
No servants.
No guards.
No visitors.
Ling Wei and Ling Yue exchanged a glance.
Then immediately cupped their fists.
"Senior."
"We have returned."
Before either could knock—
RUMBLE.
The stone doors slid open on their own.
The sudden movement startled both siblings despite everything they had already witnessed.
Beyond the entrance lay a dim chamber.
Neither could clearly see inside.
Yet both instinctively bowed lower.
"Greetings, Senior."
Ling Wei stepped forward.
Then respectfully raised the storage pouch with both hands.
"We have completed the task."
"This pouch contains all Foundation Establishment beast remains and beast cores we were able to acquire within the allotted time."
Silence.
Then—
the pouch suddenly floated upward.
Neither sibling touched it.
Yet it rose smoothly into the air as though carried by an invisible hand.
Ling Yue still found the sight deeply unnerving.
The pouch drifted inward.
Disappearing deeper into the darkness.
Then—
Lizarius' calm voice echoed from within.
"Good."
The siblings immediately relaxed.
Only slightly.
Then the voice continued.
"Continue acquiring them."
"Foundation Establishment remains."
"Beast cores."
"I will summon you again."
Their expressions stiffened once more.
Ling Wei immediately bowed.
"Yes, Senior."
No hesitation.
No complaints.
No bargaining.
Only obedience.
Because after everything they had witnessed—
arguing seemed unwise.
Very unwise.
Ling Yue hurriedly nodded.
"We understand."
Ling Wei suddenly paused.
Then reached toward his waist.
A moment later—
he removed his own storage pouch.
The one containing the remaining spirit stones.
Without hesitation, he carefully placed it just inside the doorway.
"Senior."
"This also belongs to you."
For the first time—
a faint pause followed.
Even Lizarius seemed mildly surprised.
Ling Wei continued calmly.
"It is safer this way."
Silence lingered.
Then the pouch slid across the floor and vanished deeper into the chamber.
The moment it disappeared—
Ling Wei felt a tremendous burden leave his shoulders.
A burden far heavier than the pouch itself.
The stone doors slowly began to close.
RUMBLE.
Just before they sealed completely—
Lizarius spoke one final time.
"Leave."
BOOM.
The doors shut.
Silence returned.
For several seconds—
neither sibling moved.
Then both simultaneously released long breaths.
Ling Yue wiped the sweat from her forehead.
"...I thought he was going to ask for more."
Ling Wei glanced toward the sealed chamber.
"Give it time."
Ling Yue groaned.
"...Don't say things like that."
The two began walking away.
After a few moments—
Ling Yue looked at him curiously.
"What was that about?"
"Hm?"
"The pouch."
"You gave everything back."
Ling Wei nodded.
"Correct."
Ling Yue frowned.
"You didn't have to."
Ling Wei looked at her as though she had said something ridiculous.
"Of course I did."
"...Why?"
He stared at her.
Then pointed toward the sealed chamber.
"Because I'm not carrying that around."
Ling Yue blinked.
"What?"
Ling Wei lowered his voice.
"My legs were trembling."
"..."
"I'm serious."
"..."
"Do you have any idea how much wealth was inside that pouch?"
Ling Yue opened her mouth.
Then closed it.
Fair point.
Ling Wei continued.
"The moment I learned the true value of those spirit stones, I stopped wanting them anywhere near me."
His expression grew increasingly serious.
"Someone steals them?"
"We die."
"Someone discovers them?"
"We die."
"The clan finds out?"
"We probably still die."
Ling Yue considered it.
Then slowly nodded.
"...That makes sense."
"Exactly."
Ling Wei folded his arms.
"Let the monster keep his own treasure."
"Much safer."
The siblings continued walking through the courtyard.
Then—
Ling Wei suddenly stopped.
His eyes widened.
Ling Yue blinked.
"What now?"
Ling Wei immediately turned around.
"We're going back."
"...Where?"
"The Pavilion."
Ling Yue stared.
"The Pavilion?"
Ling Wei nodded rapidly.
"Of course."
"Why?"
His expression became grave.
Very grave.
"Because the Golden Lotus Pavilion still owes us change."
Silence.
Ling Yue stared.
Then remembered.
The unpaid balance.
The absurd balance.
The balance large enough to purchase entire clans.
Her eyes widened.
"Oh."
Ling Wei immediately increased his pace.
"Exactly."
"We need to make sure that debt is properly recorded."
"What if they forget?"
"They won't."
"What if they do?"
"They won't."
"But what if they do?"
Ling Wei somehow began walking even faster.
"Then we remind them."
Ling Yue hurried after him.
"...You really care that much?"
Ling Wei glanced at her.
"Yue."
His tone was solemn.
"The monster may be rich."
"Absurdly rich."
"But that isn't our money."
A brief pause.
Then—
"The Pavilion's debt to us is."
Ling Yue stared at him for several seconds.
Then burst into laughter.
A genuine laugh.
The first truly carefree laugh she had managed all day.
Meanwhile—
deep within the sealed chamber—
Lizarius silently observed the two storage pouches resting before him.
His golden eyes remained calm and unreadable.
The chamber was silent.
Still.
Yet the corners of his mouth seemed to curl upward ever so slightly.
As though he, too, found the situation mildly amusing.