Chapter 27

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Chapter 27: Zhou the Skinflint

The elderly Cultivator wore a dark blue Dao robe embroidered with golden threads and talismans—clearly a magical tool.

Yet his appearance was rather unpleasant, with a wrinkled face and mismatched eyes that glinted with cunning.

This man oversaw distributing welfare to outer disciples. His surname was Zhou, though his full name had long been forgotten. Publicly, people addressed him respectfully as "Purple Palace Master Zhou," but privately, they sneered "Zhou the Skinflint."

His talent was abysmal. He’d barely reached the Golden Pool level through spirit pills, likely the weakest among Hundred-Zhang Golden Pool Masters. His cultivation stagnated, forever barred from the Purple Palace.

But poor cultivation mattered little—he hailed from the Zhou family of the Eight-Hundred-Generation Families, a top-tier clan among the ten elites. The Yuan family couldn’t compare; they were worlds apart.

Thus, despite lacking skill and cultivation, Zhou held his position through family influence.

Each month, from the subsidies of over 100,000 outer disciples, he embezzled tens of thousands of spirit stones. After bribing superiors, he pocketed thousands himself. With stolen spirit pills and other funds, his monthly haul reached 10,000 to 20,000 stones. Even Purple Palace Masters envied his wealth.

A classic bully, he cowered before those of higher position but tormented vulnerable disciples—not just skinning them, but draining them to the marrow.

When Fang Lie’s father lived, Zhou groveled before the boy, offering gifts and calling him "little brother"—though older than Fang Lie’s father. But after the father’s death, Zhou turned vicious, hurling abuse and beating Fang Lie for the slightest defiance.

As a Golden Pool Master, Zhou easily overpowered Qi Sea-level Fang Lie. Each welfare visit ended with curses and beatings, sometimes broken bones. After a few attempts, Fang Lie stopped coming—exactly Zhou’s goal, letting him steal welfare meant for Fang Lie and his brothers.

Yet fortunes shift. Now confident, Fang Lie reappeared before Zhou, sneering coldly, "Zhou the Skinflint. Long time no see. How’ve you been?"

"Fang Lie?!" Zhou paled, ignoring the insult. Unlike reclusive Cultivators, his role demanded constant awareness of sect affairs. He tracked every rumor, fearing some bullied disciple might gain a patron.

And Fang Lie’s recent deeds chilled him—slaying over a thousand from the Eight-Hundred-Generation Families, crippling a Token Lord, and humiliating East Kunlun Sword God’s heir. Worse, Fang Lie now wielded Ancestral Hall authority through the Benevolence Token. If exposed, Zhou wouldn’t even face Cold Prison—Fang Lie might kill him outright.

Zhou shuddered. Fang Lie’s ironclad stubbornness meant certain doom if crossed. Glancing around, Zhou sealed the third-floor entrance with a barrier.

The Gentle Breeze Tower itself was a massive magical tool. Zhou’s floor held potent restrictions and a hundred puppet soldiers, enabling him alone to manage welfare for 100,000 disciples—skimming allocations seamlessly.

All of this was thanks to the Mo Sect’s world-famous mechanical arts!

Seeing Zhou the Skinflint seal off the entire third floor and activate various restrictions to block investigations, Fang Lie immediately became alert. He asked warily, "What? Are you so angry that you want to kill me to silence me? If you dare, I’ll let you! Try killing me – I won’t even fight back!"

Truthfully, Fang Lie knew resistance would be useless. Not only was Zhou the Skinflint’s power beyond his capability, but the old man also controlled all mechanical puppets and restrictions on this floor. Even ordinary Nascent Soul True Immortals would struggle to defeat him here.

So Fang Lie simply gave up resisting, letting Zhou try to kill him. After all, he couldn’t truly die – he could deal with Zhou properly later at the Ancestral Hall!

But Zhou the Skinflint’s next move shocked Fang Lie beyond belief.

Without warning, Zhou dropped to his knees with a loud thud. Slapping his own face while sobbing, he begged: "VIP Sir Fang, Grandpa Fang, Ancestor Fang! I was wrong, truly wrong! These dog eyes failed to recognize your greatness! Please spare this pitiful old man – treat me like a fart and let me go!"

This absurd scene left Fang Lie speechless. Though he’d heard of Zhou’s shamelessness, he never imagined it could reach this level. To save his skin, the old man abandoned all dignity!

Remember – Zhou was 280 years old, older than Fang Lie’s grandfather. Yet here he knelt, calling Fang Lie "Ancestor"!

Fang Lie thought bitterly, ‘How can someone be this shameless? This really broadens my horizons!’

Misreading Fang Lie’s stunned silence as refusal, the panicking Zhou kept pleading: "Ancestor! Please forgive me! I’ll return all the spirit stones and spirit pills I owe – double! Triple! Five times! That’s all I have!"

The perpetually poor Fang Lie jolted. "Really? Five times? How much?"

"Five times repayment! At least tens of thousands of spirit stones!" Zhou pressed eagerly. "Just say yes and I’ll do it now!"

For a moment, Fang Lie’s mind reeled.

An internal war raged within him. With one nod, he could gain tens of thousands of spirit stones and pills. His siblings could escape poverty. The four with cultivation talent might finally get proper Dao magic and treasures!

He imagined their joy – laughing children hugging him while shouting "Big Brother!" Such beautiful visions.

But suddenly, Fang Lie felt uneasy. Accepting this would mean sparing Zhou the Skinflint.

Then Zhou would keep exploiting outer disciples. Wouldn’t that make Fang Lie complicit? How would he differ from Zhou?

Were his great vows on the Cycle of Fire just empty words?

Would the Fang Family’s honorable tradition crumble by his hand?

No! Absolutely not!

As these thoughts clarified, Fang Lie’s eyes regained focus. His expression hardened with resolve.

Taking a deep breath, he declared: "Zhou the Skinflint! If you truly repent, surrender yourself at the Ancestral Hall. Confess all crimes and name your accomplices. Honest confession brings leniency from the Law Enforcers!"

"Leniency?" Zhou reddened with rage. "Are you mad, Fang Lie? Confessing would break the Eight-Hundred-Generation Families’ unspoken rules! I’d become their enemy! All 136 Law Enforcers come from those families! You think they’ll show mercy?"

"With me here, yes!" Fang Lie insisted.

"Bah! You think you’re the Ancestral Hall’s master?" Zhou spat. "Suppose you could influence them – can you stop Eight-Hundred-Generation retaliation? Those I expose have massive backing! I’d die without your escape skills or Ancestor’s Token!"

"The sect will protect you."

"Nonsense! They can’t even protect you!" Zhou cried. "You hold the future Ancestor’s Token and Hall Lord title, yet killers still attack! They held victory banquets after murdering you! You survived once – can you keep surviving? You won’t last two days!"