"You're right. Senior Brother and I took down a Unity stage expert together. This little stash is just our reward."
Jian Dan didn't feel the slightest bit guilty as she smiled modestly and spoke to Jian Li.
The corner of Jian Li's mouth twitched. Jian Lu actually had the nerve to call this "a little stash"? This was nearly equivalent to the total assets of a small sect.
Jian Dan casually picked up a high-grade white jade storage ring and slipped it onto her finger. Ever since she had put away the black-gold ring symbolizing her Mo Yue identity, she'd felt a bit off. This made a perfect replacement.
"Senior Brother, I'll take this ring and its contents to replenish what I spent. You can handle the rest however you like."
Jian Li was a little surprised. Given Jian Lu's usual greed, he hadn't expected such generosity. With Cotton Candy still under her control, she could've easily claimed everything for herself.
"Don't look at me like that, Senior Brother."
Jian Dan absentmindedly rubbed Cotton Candy's soft fur as she added,
"I like spiritual herbs and spirit stones as much as the next cultivator, but I also understand the danger of excess. I'll only take what I'm due. The rest, bring back to the sect. At least half of it counts toward my contribution. That way, I stay true to my Dao heart."
"Alright. Got it."
Jian Li accepted her reasoning without argument.
He knew Jian Lu had vision. From a wandering Loose Cultivator who sought protection from the sect, to now the Hall Master of the 'War' Hall, she had climbed to her current position in just over a hundred years. Now she stood firmly aboard the Heavenly Sword Sect's ship and had earned the attention of many Zhēnzūn elders.
With each mission, the spoils Jian Dan turned in grew more substantial. Her contributions alone could sustain the nine peaks of the outer sect for a decade. Through her own means, she had bound the sect closer to her and already possessed everything needed to ascend further.
Jian Li swept his sleeve and stored all the equipment on the table. He would submit it directly upon returning.
"Senior Brother, why don't you pick through it too? See if there's anything you need. We bled for this, after all. Taking a few things for ourselves isn't unreasonable."
"It's fine. Once I return, I'll have the Law Enforcement Hall sort it. If there's something I need, I'll get it then."
Jian Dan nodded at his response, then asked,
"How's the situation with the Heavenly Sword Sect's Wind-Fixing Pearls?"
Jian Li shook his head. "No word from Jian Sheng yet. That's why I need to hurry back. Jian Ning and Jian Po are temporarily overseeing the Law Enforcement Hall."
When she heard the name Jian Po, Jian Dan couldn't help asking,
"Senior Brother, where on earth did you find Jian Po? She's absolutely stunning. If I were a male cultivator, I'd be begging to make her my Dao companion."
Jian Li's hand trembled slightly as he raised his purple jade teacup. He quickly put it down, cleared his throat, and replied,
"She's the disciple of the current Hall Master of the 'Punishment' Hall and a key prospect of the Law Enforcement Hall. If nothing goes wrong, she'll eventually take over as Hall Master. She's not inferior to you."
And with that, he forcefully shut down the topic. He had no intention of continuing.
Jian Dan rolled his words around in her mind. That last line, "not inferior to you", carried all kinds of implications.
Spinning the new white jade ring on her finger, she grinned.
"Senior Brother, why do I feel like you're hinting at something?"
While Jian Dan teased Jian Li, on the other side of the compound, Peng Xilai was running himself ragged.
He first dispatched people to clean up the area, take inventory of the damages, and verify identities to prevent any of the Jia family remnants from sneaking away under false names.
Peng Min, watching from the side, tried to persuade her older brother to leave some people to guard the City Lord's Manor. But Peng Xilai waved her off.
"Don't worry. Right now, no one in the entire Yunling City has the guts to provoke the City Lord's Manor."
He gestured toward the guest courtyard, where Jian Li and Jian Dan were currently staying.
"You saw their strength for yourself. Unless someone at the late Unity stage or Mahayana realm comes knocking, no one could take down both of them at once."
Peng Min nodded in agreement. Especially that Jian Lu Zūnzhǔ—her presence and bearing were unmatched. There weren't many female cultivators who could even compare.
"Alright then. Head to the dungeon and interrogate those Jia family captives. See if they've got anything else to reveal."
"Yes, Brother. I'll go now."
Peng Xilai then turned to the Gold Core stage female cultivator behind him and instructed,
"Assign people to take over the Jia family's hidden businesses. Leave the public-facing ones alone, especially those well-known private holdings. Don't touch them."
"Understood," the female cultivator cupped her hands and turned to leave.
But Peng Xilai called her back.
"Take Captain Qi with you. I suspect some of the Jia remnants might be hiding within those private holdings. When you take over, make sure to go through everything carefully."
"Yes!"
Once everything was delegated, Peng Xilai hurried off to report to his grandfather.
"Grandfather, a report just came in. The Jia family's treasure vault was empty. Also, at the site where the two Zūnzhǔ fought the Unity stage Jia elder, we found no sign of his storage ring."
Peng Wang sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion. He glanced at his grandson and reminded him,
"The Jia family's Unity cultivator was killed by Jian Li and Jian Lu together. Even if you had found the ring, it should go to them. And besides, you didn't even find it. Do you take them for fools? Do you think they'd fight for nothing?"
The words snapped Peng Xilai out of his fog. He slapped his forehead and muttered,
"I've been so busy my brain stopped working. I understand now. But what about the treasure vault?"
"Jian Li and Jian Lu didn't have time to claim it. It's probably with one of the remaining Jia descendants. Find them quickly. The city's defensive array can only stay up for three more days. That's the limit. Any longer and the local cultivators will get restless. Not to mention, it's burning through spirit stones."
"Understood, Grandfather. I've already sent people to handle it."
"Make sure to seize all of the Jia family's private businesses. Don't let them fall into the hands of the Shi, Wang, or Xue families. Even then, we might not recover all the spirit stones spent on activating the array."
A trace of pain flickered across Peng Xilai's face. Seeing the sheer number of top-grade spirit stones consumed, the joy of victory was all but gone.
"Don't worry, Grandfather. I've already assigned someone to take over. Is there anything else you'd like me to do?"
"Let Jian Li and Jian Lu use the City Lord Manor's teleportation array to leave Yunling City."
Peng Wang gave the order without hesitation. This was something he had promised them.
"Yes, I'll go invite them right away."
Meanwhile, Jian Li and Jian Dan had finished discussing business and were resting quietly. Both had entered meditation, refining the effects of their pills and restoring their spiritual power.
By the time Peng Xilai arrived, they had recovered nearly eighty percent of their strength. They would have no problem defending themselves.
Peng Xilai personally led the two through the City Lord Manor's main hall, past his and his sister's courtyards, and stopped before a lotus pond in the rear garden.
At the edge of the pond, Peng Xilai inserted the City Lord's command token and formed a series of hand seals. A platform carved from spatial stone rose from the water.
Nine top-grade spirit stones floated from above and slotted themselves into the formation on the platform. The array activated instantly. Peng Xilai respectfully gestured for the two sword cultivators to step on. A flash of light followed, and they vanished from sight.
Jian Li and Jian Dan were transported to a location one hundred li outside Yunling City, still three hundred li from the Lingyun Mountains.
As soon as Jian Dan landed, she turned to bid farewell.
"Senior Brother, I'll head back to Cloud Sea Sect first. You've got the clean-up to handle. See you back at the sect!"
"See you at the sect."
They clasped fists and parted ways. Cotton Candy transformed into a white whirlwind that wrapped around Jian Dan, carrying her out of sight in an instant.