Chapter 196
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Chapter 196: Forcing the Stewards
"Fang Lie, you’ve got some nerve leading people to surround Gentle Breeze Tower! Are you trying to rebel?" the Chief Steward barked with false bravado.
"You’re the bold one here!" Fang Lie shot back. "Embezzling sect funds and squeezing outer disciples? Got a death wish?"
"Th-That’s nonsense! I never stole anything!" the Chief Steward stammered.
"Then why’re thousands complaining?" Fang Lie pressed. "You saying they’re all liars?"
The Chief Steward choked on his words.
Outer disciples erupted in rage around them.
"You crook! The Sect Benefits should be five spirit stones – where’re my missing two?"
"I broke my back completing missions, but you skimmed twenty percent off my spirit stones and contribution points! Why?"
"Before you lot came, the puppet soldiers ran things fairly! We’d be better off if you dropped dead!"
"You leeches feast on the poor while kissing up to family disciples! Even let them rob us blind! Disgraceful excuses for mentors!"
The five stewards dripped with cold sweat under the onslaught. Even with their high cultivation, facing ten thousand furious outer disciples was terrifying – especially with Fang Lie, that ruthless killer, leading the charge.
The mob’s wrath reached boiling point. "Kill them!" someone roared.
Now truly panicked, the stewards knew they’d be overwhelmed in seconds. The sect wouldn’t save them – they’d be called fools who deserved it.
"What do you want, Fang Lie?" the Chief Steward blurted desperately.
Fang Lie raised a hand, silencing the crowd instantly. "Simple choice – you want to live or die?"
"What’s… what’s the difference?"
"Die, and I’ll have Ancestral Hall guards pound you to pulp with flaming and watery great rods. Live, and meet three demands."
Everyone knew the Ancestral Hall answered to Fang Lie. With proof of their crimes, resistance meant certain death.
"Name your terms," the Chief Steward croaked.
"First – return double every spirit stone and contribution point you stole."
The Chief Steward ground his teeth. "Done." Secretly relieved – two months’ theft meant a million spirit stones. Doubled hurt, but wasn’t ruinous. Years of graft would’ve been a death sentence.
"Second – you’re all incompetent. Resign. Now."
"Agreed!" The answer came swift – none would stay after this disaster. Why risk Fang Lie’s wrath for meager Sect Benefits? They’d paid hefty bribes for these posts, never guessing Fang Lie’s quick return would waste it all.
"Third!" Fang Lie continued, "You may avoid death, but not punishment. Head to the Ancestral Hall for twenty rod strikes!"
"Fang Lie!" The Chief Steward flushed red, shouting, "A scholar prefers death to humiliation!"
"Hah! Stop joking!" Fang Lie scoffed. "Greedy rats like you dare call yourselves scholars?"
The crowd erupted in mocking laughter. "Shameless thieves pretending to have principles?"
"Never seen such brazen scoundrels!"
"Nowadays even dog dung tries to pass itself as gold!"
The stewards burned with shame, wishing to vanish underground.
Fang Lie snapped impatiently, "Choose now – live or die?"
"DECIDE!" The thunderous roar shook the stewards to their cores.
After exchanging helpless glances, they muttered, "We yield."
The five flew off in disgrace toward the Ancestral Hall as tens of thousands of outer disciples cheered.
"Justice thanks to Senior Brother Fang!" they chorused.
Fang Lie waved them off. "No need. While I breathe, no rats will plague Gentle Breeze Tower!"
"Mighty Senior Brother!" they chanted before dispersing reluctantly.
Alone, Fang Lie exhaled deeply. Surrounding the tower with thousands to oust the Five Great Stewards had been risky, but necessary.
A cold voice interrupted: "How grand, Fang Lie – commanding ten thousand to storm our sect!"
Mo Wanfang glared, his sect elder robes quivering with disapproval.
Fang Lie countered, "Less grand than exploiting a hundred thousand outer disciples, eh?"
The elder stammered, "After you left, others appointed those stewards! We didn’t-"
"Enough!" Fang Lie cut him off. "Next corrupt official here dies. No exceptions."
"None will come," Mo Wanfang sighed. "Who’d pay for posts that lose money? Only fools." Changing tack, he asked, "Why abandon Wanxing Sea? Your shop there-"
"Left caretakers," Fang Lie interrupted. "I’m here to trade materials for sect points."
Mo Wanfang raised an eyebrow. "Two months’ haul? Don’t waste my time with third-rank trash."
"What if it’s fourth or fifth rank?"
"Impossible!" The elder gaped. "Mo Fang Shop found none in years! How?"
Fang Lie grinned. "Dead men don’t need treasures."
"You ROBBED them?!"
"Take it or I’ll sell elsewhere."
Grumbling, Mo Wanfang led him to Gentle Breeze Tower’s highest chamber. With a wave, Fang Lie unleashed a one-zhang heap – minerals, beast bones, demon pills, and spirit herbs pulsing with Spiritual Energy.
"Heavens!" Mo Wanfang choked. "Did you sack a whole sect?!"
"Just Purple Beard Master’s Qingyu Island holdings," Fang Lie shrugged. "Mo Fang Shop’s former base is mine now."
"But Purple Palace Masters rule islands!" Mo Wanfang spluttered. "You’re merely Qi Sea cultivator! How?!"
Fang Lie winked. "Guess."
