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Tang San looked at the small pile of coins in his hand and felt a bit embarrassed. He slowly pulled out twenty gold coins from his pocket. He had worked hard to save a little bit of money over the last few months, but fate was not on his side.
Just a few days ago, he had met that greedy merchant Flender. The man was a real profiteer and had managed to swindle almost everything Tang San had. Now, twenty gold coins was all he could offer to the group.
The reaction in the mysterious group chat was immediate. Rows of question marks filled the jade mirrors as people watched the scene unfold. Wang Dong was the first to speak up, his voice full of disbelief. He asked if the famous Tang San was truly this poor.
It seemed impossible for someone with such talent to have so little. A user named Loves Eating Carrots replied quickly, pointing out that Tang San came from a humble background, so it made perfect sense that he didn't have much money.
Dark Avenger joined in with a joke about another famous figure, Huo Yuhao. He mentioned that even the Child of Destiny had to sell grilled fish to make a living. He even suggested setting up a stall for him and invited everyone to come and support it, claiming that the fish would definitely be delicious. It was a funny thought, seeing these powerful heroes struggling with daily expenses.
Bibi Dong, the cold and powerful leader of Spirit Hall, seemed confused by the situation. She noted that a Spirit Grandmaster usually gets a monthly subsidy of ten gold coins from Spirit Hall. In her mind, that should be enough for anyone to save a little bit of money if they were careful. However, Zhu Zhuyun had a different perspective. She reminded everyone that Tang San spent a lot of money making his Hidden Weapons. The materials and tools weren't cheap. She even joked that having twenty gold coins meant Tang San was actually better at managing his money than someone like Ma Hongjun, who probably spent his coins as soon as he got them.
Bo Saixi, the High Priestess of Sea God Island, watched the discussion with a soft sigh. She began to feel a newfound respect for Spirit Hall and Qian Daoliu. She commented that the system of giving subsidies to young Spirit Masters was truly one of the greatest acts of kindness in the world. She looked at the teenagers on the screen, noting that they had just reached the level of Spirit Master or Spirit Grandmaster. Without that monthly money from Spirit Hall, many young people might have turned to crime or chosen a dark path just to survive.
However, a mysterious user known as Group Member No. 9 couldn't help but poke fun at her. He reminded her that despite her current praise, she didn't used to think much of Spirit Hall at all. This caused a burst of laughter from everyone in the chat. Back on Sea God Island, Bo Saixi felt her face turn red with anger. She felt completely numb from the constant teasing.
She thought to herself that this Number Nine was truly a ridiculous person. If he weren't so strange, he probably wouldn't have been able to create such a heaven-defying spirit ability like this communication mirror in the first place.
Su Yan stood there, watching the boys struggle. He was honestly at a loss for words. He looked at Tang San, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun. He couldn't believe that these three together couldn't even find a hundred gold coins. He wanted to call them idiots, but then he stopped himself. He realized that if he hadn't met a few wealthy girlfriends along the way, he probably wouldn't have much money either.
While Su Yan didn't spend money on the same things as the others, he had his own high costs. His companion, Little Monkey, had a massive appetite. Their daily food bills were very high because Su Yan knew how important nutrition was. He believed that a growing body needed the best food to reach its full potential. He never compromised on a good meal. Looking at himself now, he felt he had made the right choice. Even though he was the same age as Tang San, he was much taller and looked more like Dai Mubai in terms of stature. He felt his good looks and height were a direct result of never skimping on his diet. He even thought of a small piece of advice for any young brothers out there: don't skip meals just to save money for a video game skin. It's much better to eat well and grow your body properly.
The group felt the judging looks from Su Yan and the others. Dai Mubai, feeling his pride at stake, gritted his teeth. He reached into his robes and pulled out a shining gold spirit card. He told the Dean that he had ten thousand gold coins available. Flender's eyes lit up for a second. He was happy that Dai Mubai had finally shown some wealth. But that happiness died quickly. Ten thousand was a lot, but it was still nowhere near the hundred thousand gold coins they needed.
Zhao Wuji sighed and pulled out his own gold spirit card. With a helpless look on his face, he said he could contribute three thousand gold coins. He admitted that was the absolute limit of his savings. Then there was Yu Xiaogang. He looked even more awkward than the rest. He searched his pockets and could only produce a little over five hundred gold coins.
Flender spent a long time searching through his own hidden stashes, scraping together every last bit of gold he could find. After a lot of counting and pinching, he managed to add another five thousand coins. When they added everything up, the entire group had only managed to gather about twenty thousand gold coins. They were still eighty thousand short. Their maximum effort was simply not enough.
The group chat went silent for a moment before another wave of confusion hit. Yanzi is not a Swallow asked if it was possible for powerful men like Flender, Zhao Wuji, and Yu Xiaogang to be this poor. Another user, I Am an Orphan, agreed, wondering how the Dean of Shrek Academy could have so little. He then realized that Shrek was a tiny school with almost no students and no funding, which explained everything.
Liu Erlong started laughing so hard she felt like she was dying. She found it hilarious that Yu Xiaogang, who always acted so dignified and smart, only had five hundred gold coins to his name. Group Member No. 9 then suggested that since Liu Erlong and Bibi Dong were his ex-girlfriends, maybe they should help him out. Bibi Dong was not happy with that suggestion. She called Number Nine a bastard and asked if he wanted a slap to the face.
Bai Chenxiang was also surprised. She pointed out that Dai Mubai was a prince of the Star Luo Empire. She didn't understand how a prince could only have ten thousand coins. Ma Xiaotao added that even a prince seemed poor compared to their ancestor, Ning Rongrong.
She mentioned that when Rongrong sends out gift envelopes in the chat, they usually start at twenty thousand gold coins. Zhu Zhuyun defended Dai Mubai slightly, reminding them that he had been running for his life for years. Under those conditions, having ten thousand gold coins was actually quite impressive.
Su Yan laughed as he read the messages. He told everyone to look at the facts. He explained that Dai Mubai couldn't be compared to Ning Rongrong. First, Dai Mubai was a prince who had lost everything and was fleeing for his life. Second, even if he were still in the palace, he couldn't be richer than the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. That sect was famous for its wealth. People said they were as rich as a whole nation, and it wasn't an exaggeration.
Su Yan continued to explain that Rongrong was the most precious person in her sect. She was the future leader and was pampered by her father, Ning Fengzhi, and two powerful Titled Douluo. There was simply no way for Dai Mubai to compete with that kind of money. Ning Rongrong, the Nine Treasures Little Princess, replied with a cute giggle. She said Su Yan was being too kind and decided to send a red envelope to everyone in the chat to celebrate.
The moment the notification appeared, everyone in the group chat started tapping their jade mirrors. The speed was so fast that it felt like the mirrors might start smoking. Ma Xiaotao was the lucky winner this time. She jumped up in excitement back at Shrek Academy in the future.
She was thrilled to have the fastest hands in the chat again. Tang Ya and Zhang Lexuan looked at her with huge eyes full of envy. Getting twenty thousand gold coins for free was a dream come true. It was a huge sum of money that could make anyone happy for a long time.
Xiao Xiao and Wang Dong were also jealous. They imagined what they could do with that kind of money. They could buy the best food and never worry about costs again. Yanzi is not a Swallow just made a jealous sound, while Loves Eating Carrots claimed that they only won because she wasn't trying. She insisted her hands were much faster. I Am an Orphan scolded Ma Xiaotao, saying the red envelope should have gone to someone who actually needed it, calling her an unfilial descendant for taking it from her elders.
Ma Xiaotao felt a bit bad. She wondered if the money was meant for her ancestor, Bai Chenxiang. She apologized, saying she forgot. But Bai Chenxiang told her not to worry. She already had plenty of money because Rongrong had given her twenty thousand gold coins before that she hadn't even spent yet. Group Member No. 9 asked why she wasn't spending it, while another user asked if anyone would send some good food.
Liu Erlong joined in, telling Ma Xiaotao that her "Ancestor Erlong" was also very short on money. Bibi Dong saw an opportunity to tease her rival. She told Liu Erlong that if she called her "Sister Dong," she would send her a red envelope. Bo Saixi just watched the drama and typed a simple "666" to show her amusement.
Back at the Blue Tyrant Academy, Liu Erlong was shaking with anger. she told Bibi Dong that she would rather starve to death or jump off a cliff than call her sister. Bibi Dong just sighed and sent a private red envelope to Liu Erlong anyway. When Liu Erlong opened it, she screamed in rage. Bibi Dong had only sent two gold coins. The entire group chat erupted in laughter at the prank.
Su Yan shook his head and stepped forward. He collected the twenty thousand gold coins that Flender's group had managed to pull together. He looked at them with a speechless expression.
He told them that after all that effort, twenty thousand was still very disappointing. He asked them if they had anything else of value. He suggested they bring out any treasures or items they had to help cover the rest of the cost for now.