After the path was cut off

That moon-white Taoist robe with gold trim appeared once again on the steps leading to the Hall of General Affairs.

After descending from Tianzhu Peak, Li Wangxiang did not immediately return to his cave.

An Ting is not an unreasonable person.

She didn't understand why Li Wangxiang had to leave the clan, but she didn't stop him.

Not only did they not stop them, they caught them very quickly.

As soon as Li Wangxiang voiced the idea of ​​"getting some fresh air," her eyes lit up, and most of her previous sullenness dissipated. She immediately slammed the disciple's token on the table, saying that she would handle the matter.

"You're not comfortable letting it out yourself, but I am."

"Just tell me who you want to know, who you want to come to you, and which way the wind should blow first."

As she spoke, she also mentioned the few jade pieces that Li Wangxiang had borrowed from his senior brother.

She was initially just flipping through the pages to read about the wars of pioneering, the bidding for spiritual lands, and the old practices of managing affiliated immortal sects—but the more she read, the brighter her eyes became. Eventually, she sat up straight and asked questions as she read, even making Li Wangxiang stop several times.

The two of them barely rested all morning.

Which peaks' disciples should leak the information first? Which types of people are most likely to follow the scent? If someone actually comes to the door, what attitude should Li Wangxiang show, and what secrets should he hide...?

These are just minor details.

The real time-consuming thing is something else entirely—supplies.

If we truly want to win over this sacred land, it won't be over with just a simple "establishment of an immortal sect."

The array base, spirit wood, talisman materials, spirit iron, items to suppress miasma and water, tools for building granaries and setting up gardens... everything needs to be calculated first.

An Ting leaned over the table, flipping through the jade slips rapidly, making marks on the paper with a vermilion pen as she did so.

"This needs to be prepared first."

"This can be done more slowly."

"And this... if we really go to the second ring, there will probably be even more than in other places."

As she spoke, her enthusiasm grew, and even her voice brightened. She was clearly more interested in dissecting matters and prioritizing tasks than in quiet meditation.

Sitting opposite her, watching her draw lines with her head down, Li Wangxiang felt the gloom in his heart caused by the Hall of Mastery dissipate somewhat.

At least, some things are no longer just his thoughts.

As the sun began to set, a list of supplies, though not entirely complete, was finally on the table, sufficient for any emergency.

An Ting put down her pen and looked up at him.

"I'm going to get some fresh air."

"Go to the General Affairs Hall and get everything that can be moved moving first."

Li Wangxiang nodded.

And so the two parted ways.

One went to the sect to release a perfectly timed, neither deliberate nor concealed, whisper; the other went back to the Hall of General Affairs.

The General Affairs Hall was even more bustling today than yesterday.

The name "Yunmeng Great Marsh" was no longer just a rumor circulating quietly among the upper echelons. In front of the General Affairs Peak, there were noticeably more disciples coming and going. Some were asking about the map, some were inquiring about old customs, and some had been pondering for a long time with their immortal skills, wanting to see if they were qualified to touch a corner of a spiritual land.

As Li Wangxiang traveled, he encountered more people than before.

When those people saw him, they still instinctively bowed and gave way.

But after he lowered his head, the meaning in his eyes was more complicated than the day before.

Li Wangxiang remained calm and continued up the stone steps.

He came here today with no intention of hiding anything.

If you're going to spread rumors, you need to let others see some evidence first. Otherwise, without any proof, no matter how loud the rumors spread, they're just like rootless duckweed, unable to create any real waves.

Within the Hall of General Affairs, the most suitable place for others to see is naturally the sect's main storehouse.

The guard of the main storehouse is Steward Feng.

This man was quite old, with gray hair and beard, and loose skin, yet his back remained ramrod straight. He was meticulous in his work, like a piece of hardwood worn down by time but still refusing to crumble.

When Li Wangxiang saw him, an indescribable emotion welled up inside him. If he hadn't tried to hide it, he probably would have looked the same. It's true, one can hide the tension in one's face, but not the despondency in one's destiny.

Li Wangxiang had interacted with him several times. This man also came from the True Transmission Peak, so Li Wangxiang had to call him senior brother.

In the past, if there was a special decree personally given by Lord Huanyou, and it was necessary to retrieve magical treasures or secret items from the sect's treasury, it was usually done through this person.

If we're talking about who in the General Affairs Hall is most knowledgeable about the old rules for withdrawing and exchanging funds for true disciples, this person in front of us is definitely one of them.

"Greetings, Junior Brother Li."

When Deacon Feng saw him arrive, he was taken aback at first, then stood up to greet him, but his gaze couldn't help but linger on him for a moment longer.

I visited the General Affairs Hall a few days ago, and I'm here again today.

Moreover, they went straight to the main warehouse.

This junior disciple seems to have really made up his mind.

"Junior Brother, you've come today," Deacon Feng gestured for him to enter, "to request alchemy tools or to exchange for supplies?"

Li Wangxiang returned the greeting and handed over the official order.

"Re-equip with a new batch of basic supplies."

Deacon Feng paused almost imperceptibly as he received the order.

Basic supplies?

True disciples usually receive their daily necessities directly from their respective peaks and the Hall of Mastery. They don't need to personally come to the General Affairs Hall to retrieve ordinary pills and magical artifacts.

As for the phrase "basic resources"—that's more like something prepared for those affiliated with immortal sects, disciples sent to other regions, or those who cultivate the borderlands.

When have true disciples ever looked down on such things?

Although he had doubts in his heart, he did not show it on his face. He simply took out a bluish-gray jade plate as usual, and then took out a thin spiritual book from the side of the table and placed it flat on the table.

He then gently placed the true transmission token in the center of the jade plate, made a hand seal, and softly recited a guiding incantation.

The next instant, a clear light flowed across the bluish-gray jade plate, and the spirit book on the table turned its pages without any wind.

Page after page of records swept by like water, finally stopping at the merits listed under Li Wangxiang's name.

Forty-three thousand nine hundred.

Under the illumination of the light, the line of numbers was clearly visible, gleaming with a faint golden hue.

Out of the corner of my eye, I had already quietly swept over them.

Although everyone knows that true disciples receive the bestowal of their sects and their immortal cultivation is certainly not lacking, when this number actually appears before their eyes, it still makes many people's breath catch in their throats slightly.

Some people are envious.

Some people felt a pang of sadness.

More than anything, people couldn't help but wonder—if such a powerful immortal technique were truly unleashed into the Yunmeng Marsh, what kind of situation would it create?

Li Wangxiang didn't even blink, and simply spoke:

"Twenty-two thousand will be provided as basic supplies for building the gate."

After saying that, he raised his hand and pointed, a faint light appearing at his fingertips, and sent over a list that had been prepared beforehand.

Deacon Feng glanced down and his brow twitched at the sight of the person he was looking at.

The list was densely packed with hundreds of items.

Some are spiritual materials like earth and stone used to suppress miasma and turbidity; some are spiritual wood and iron needed for building granaries and setting up gardens; and some are the most commonly used and inconspicuous array devices, ground nails, spirit lamps, and water-drawing talisman boxes used when first establishing a mountain gate.

None of them are expensive.

Large quantities are possible.

It's ridiculously big.

Deacon Feng glanced at him, puffed out his beard, and glared:

"Junior Brother Li, are you trying to build a mountain, or a city?"

"Let's not even talk about whether there's that much basic supplies readily available in the main warehouse. Even if there were, how would you store such a large quantity? How would you transport it? And does Junior Brother even have room to put it?"

Li Wangxiang was scolded by him.

He hadn't really thought about that problem in detail.

Over the years, he has been single-mindedly pursuing the path to the Golden Core, and his daily dealings have been mostly with magical artifacts, elixirs, and secret scrolls. He has never really worried about these mundane matters that are common in the immortal sects.

Although An Ting made a lively list, neither of them had actually touched the more mundane details such as "how to transport, where to put, and when to allocate".

Seeing that he remained silent, Deacon Feng's expression softened, and he finally offered a few more words of explanation:

"The main warehouse doesn't store these small items. If we really need to replace them, we have to place an order first, and then the goods will be transported from various production sites."

"Furthermore, basic resources are mostly used for establishing a sect or opening a gate. According to the rules, a sect opening order or establishment certificate is required before they can be officially allocated."

He paused, then pushed the list back a little.

"If you're just here to ask about the price and get a feel for things, that's fine. But if you really want to change it now, it's a bit too early."

Li Wangxiang frowned.

The opening order hasn't been obtained yet, but that's alright, we can always make up for it later.

But what's more important right now is that his immortal skills need to be put into practice.

With a change of heart, he changed his words:

"What if we don't exchange the supplies, but instead transfer them first?"

Deacon Feng was taken aback: "To whom?"

"My junior sister, An Ting."

"How much?"

"all."

Deacon Feng's eyelids twitched, and he almost dropped the spirit book in his hand.

all?

How could a true disciple transfer tens of thousands of immortal skills to a mere Qi Refining disciple in one go?

He had never seen anything like this in all the years he had served in the General Affairs Hall.

"...I can give it a try."

Deacon Feng suppressed the shock in his heart, activated the Jade Plate's clear light again, and switched the focus to the Circulation column.

The clear light rose again, and the line of 43,900 golden characters on the spirit book glowed slightly.

Then, it stopped.

It was as if an invisible hand had gently pressed down on that magical technique.

Deacon Feng paused for a moment.

The next instant, the entire line of numbers dimmed slightly, but did not disappear.

It just stayed there, motionless.

Li Wangxiang's gaze narrowed slightly. A vague sense of foreboding crept into his heart.

"What happened?" he asked.

The voice was low and flat, making it impossible to discern any emotion.

Deacon Feng also frowned.

Having guarded the treasury for so many years, he was familiar with the procedures, even though the official accounts weren't frequently changed. What happened just now didn't seem like a mistake, nor did it seem like a record was interrupted; it was more like... something had forcefully blocked it.

That's strange.

He muttered something to himself, not daring to look up, and simply started making hand seals again.

"Perhaps the amount is too large, causing slow circulation. Junior brother, wait a moment, I'll try another transaction."

Clear the light and turn again.

"Ten thousand."

Do not move.

"one thousand."

It still doesn't move.

Deacon Feng's forehead wrinkles deepened little by little, and his fingertips unconsciously tensed up.

This cannot be explained by the statement that "the amount is too large".

His years of experience guarding the treasury and manipulating immortal techniques told him that this situation involved some secrets. He dared not move again.

Li Wangxiang looked at him coldly: "Keep trying!"

"Junior brother, let's do it another day..."

"Try it!" Li Wangxiang commanded.

Deacon Feng was already drenched in sweat. He gritted his teeth and tried again.

"Nine Hundred"

"Eight Hundred"

...

"five hundred."

The spirit book glowed faintly for a moment, then dimmed again.

"Four hundred."

This time, the line of gold lettering finally trembled slightly.

Immediately afterwards, a faint ray of light slowly emerged from the edge of the page and fell into the jade plate.

It became.

The area in front of the warehouse was extremely quiet for a moment.

Those who were quietly observing could not see the details on the spirit book clearly, but they vaguely sensed that this Deacon Feng seemed to have tried it several times. They felt that the procedure for obtaining immortal skills through true inheritance was really complicated, and their envy grew even stronger.

But Deacon Feng himself remained completely silent.

Four hundred.

This is not a "restriction on large transfers".

It wasn't a matter of delayed account settlement.

Instead, the movable achievements under the command were as if a large part of them had been erased, leaving only the faintest and oldest basic number at the very beginning, which could still barely circulate.

Thinking of this, he felt a chill run down his spine.

This is not something the General Affairs Department can handle.

It's not something he should ask.

He slowly raised his head and looked at Li Wangxiang, only to find that his junior brother's expression remained calm, as if he were just looking at an ordinary account book.

But that calmness was more unsettling than anger.

Li Wangxiang raised his hand and steadily took the true token back from the jade plate.

Four hundred.

He recognized the number.

That was the initial immortal cultivation technique allocated to him by the sect when he first entered the Foundation Establishment stage.

That was also the first time he was truly included in the Tianxuan Sect's register under the name "Li Wangxiang," and everything in the account was recorded.

Now, all 40,000+ immortal merits are in the account book.

But only these four hundred are truly capable of moving.

It goes without saying. His status as a true disciple has begun to be peeled away layer by layer.

He put the true teaching token into his sleeve before looking up at Steward Feng.

"Thank you for your help today, Senior Brother."

Li Wangxiang said calmly.

Deacon Feng's throat bobbed slightly, and he quickly cupped his hands in greeting:

"I wouldn't dare."

Li Wangxiang paused, his voice still not loud.

"If you're itching to speak, senior brother, feel free to say it. I won't stop you."

"But if I suffer because of this, then my entire Tianzhu Peak lineage will also suffer."

"Senior brother has lived for so long, I probably don't need to say more."

Upon hearing this, Deacon Feng's face paled, and he lowered his back even further.

"Don't worry, junior brother, I know the stakes. I didn't see anything in today's records."

Li Wangxiang turned and left the warehouse.

There were still people watching him from behind.

Some were envious, some were in awe, and some had already begun to speculate whether this true disciple who had returned from Beichen was really going to place a heavy bet in the Yunmeng Great Swamp.

But no one knows what exactly happened between that jade plate and that book of spirits.

Li Wangxiang gripped the true imperial edict tightly, his hand tightening little by little, as if he wanted to crush it.

Without immortal skills, there are no bargaining chips, and winning the bid for spiritual land is no longer a sure thing.

It's still unknown what will be taken away next.

We must gain momentum as soon as possible.

As for the escape route for relatives—

In any case, we must first put it into practice.