Dual cultivation makes you stronger, everyone else is a prodigy, and I'm the only one slacking

In the main hall of discipline at the summit, all the sect's high-ranking members were gathered, and the atmosphere was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.

Elder Chiyang, with his sanctimonious air, was the first to launch an attack:

"Lin Ye died trying to save you, and his soul was destroyed. Before he died, his biggest worry was his mortal lover, Miss Qin."

Now that Lin Ye has left, according to the sect's rules, Miss Qin, lacking spiritual roots, will be expelled from the mountain within a month to fend for herself. Shi Shangxu, what are your plans to do about this?

Elder Lei frowned and interrupted first: "This matter is none of the other peaks' concern. We, the Sword Peak, will handle our own affairs internally."

As for the forestry partner, it wouldn't be a problem for Sword Peak to support one more person. Any resources she needs will be provided by the Sword Peak lineage.

"Heh!" Elder Chiyang sneered. "Elder Lei, if every elder on every peak breaks the rules like you, how can our Dongbao Sect function normally?"

This is a sect rule, passed down for over a thousand years. If an inner disciple dies, their relatives must be expelled and forced to find other means of livelihood.

Seeing the stalemate between the two sides, Shi Shangxu took a deep breath and stepped forward.

"Elders, and Master, I only have two slots for relatives. If we want to accept all of Senior Brother Lin Ye's relatives, there are indeed not enough slots. But I can offer double the amount of money to buy an empty slot from another inner sect senior brother to settle Miss Qin."

"Buying a spot?"

Elder Chiyang chuckled, flipping through the register in a sarcastic tone. "That's quite unfortunate. This time, the leyline monsters caused chaos, resulting in the deaths of seven inner disciples. This has led to serious signs of relatives and friends registering their names without proper authorization. Therefore, the Discipline Hall has already issued an ironclad rule: no private transfers or transactions of slots are allowed for the next six months. Even if you're wealthy, you can't buy an empty slot now."

Shi Shangxu clenched his fist tightly.

He was caught in a dilemma. If he couldn't buy a spot, he could only add two more relatives.

As a result, one of the three relatives left behind by the forestry senior will inevitably face forced eviction.

Those whose relatives are removed from the household registration system are essentially stripped of their household registration status.

Without the protection of the sect, one would either become a menial servant or leave the Dongbao Upper Sect.

How could those people accept the huge drop in status from being high-ranking relatives of the inner sect to being trampled on by others?

Moreover, according to the moral principles and bottom line of the business world, it is absolutely unacceptable for the family members of a savior to work as menial laborers.

What to do with these three people is a difficult question to answer.

Elder Chiyang looked at his worried expression and a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

He used a few tricks to set up this trap, precisely to put Shi Shangxu in this dilemma.

The sect's ironclad rules forbid disciples from engaging in unprovoked private fights. As an elder, he was even less likely to openly assassinate a promising inner sect genius.

Moreover, there was also his mortal enemy, Lei Changhu, watching him closely.

But sometimes, killing doesn't require a knife.

This kind of psychological manipulation is much more interesting than direct violence.

Seeing that Shi Shangxu remained silent for a long time, Elder Chiyang pressed on again: "How about I make this choice for you? As the saying goes, a life-saving grace should be repaid with a spring of gratitude."

Why don't you just clear out your existing relatives and make room for the widow of the forestry worker?

What? Do you really think that the family of your savior is less important than your own selfish desires?

"I'll put my words on this right now! If you, Shi Shangxu, are any decent gentleman, then immediately strip your cousin Luo Ning of her status as a relative and send her to the menial service department! Make room for her."

Shi Shangxu abruptly looked up, his eyes filled with shock and anger: "No!"

"Chiyang, I respect you as a senior, but stop acting like you have a big deal out of nothing. Who are you trying to disgust?" Elder Lei finally couldn't sit still any longer. He slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly.

As the master of Sword Peak, he had long been seething with anger.

"Lin Ye was a disciple of Sword Peak. His passing has pained me more than anyone else. My Sword Peak disciples have always been loyal and righteous. It's just a trivial matter of resources and quotas, what's there to argue about? Sword Peak will pay three times the fine for the quota transfer. In addition, Sword Peak will not take the two layers of cold iron ore resources allocated to us this year; we will donate them all to the sect. Is that alright?"

These words moved many of the elders in the hall.

Cold iron ore is a huge resource for cultivation. It can be used not only for refining weapons, but also for some pills.

Elder Chiyang's face was cold, clearly indicating his disagreement.

"Elder Lei, this isn't about spirit stone resources; it's about the sect's ironclad rules that have stood for millennia. If we, as the peak elders, don't set an example by abiding by these rules, won't the others below run rampant?"

"Sect Master, to be fair, without rules, nothing can be accomplished. Can these rules be abolished?"

The ball was kicked to Cheng Min, the sect leader who had been sitting on the high seat with his eyes closed, resting.

He slowly opened his eyes, speechless for a moment.

A barely perceptible hint of disdain flashed in his eyes as he looked at Elder Chiyang.

As the head of a sect, he had to consider the sect's fortune and the conflicts with other regions.

And the result? The entire sect's top brass gathered early in the morning, all for such a trivial matter as the fate of a mortal woman, a mere quota for her to hold. It's utterly absurd.

But the rules are there, and as the sect leader, he has to consider the feelings of the two elders and can't show favoritism to one over the other.

Cheng Min cleared her throat: "Alright, in my opinion, we should call that girl over and let her decide for herself."

These words led to the scene where Yu Luoning was summoned to the inner sect.

On her way there, she roughly learned the whole story.

Surprisingly, I felt completely calm.

She obtained this status as a relative through some subtle means at the time.

if I get it I am lucky, but if not, it is fate.

Now, how could she possibly see Shi Shangxu caught in a dilemma because of this?

Yu Luoning looked at Shi Shangxu and saw that he was so anxious that his fists were clenched tightly, and he looked desperate. Yu Luoning couldn't help but feel a little heartache and pain.

That idiot, he's always thinking about others.

Yu Luoning took a deep breath, just about to say that she was willing to give up her spot and become a handyman.

Suddenly, a muffled sound came from the door of the Deacon's Discipline Hall, and a ray of sunlight shone in through the crack in the door.

Several figures walked into the main hall against the light, with Lin Ye's Daoist partner Qin Ranqiu walking at the front.

Yu Luoning squinted and looked over.

The woman in the lead wore a pale yellow dress; her face was somewhat pale, but her eyes were cold and hard.

"Mortal Qin Ranqiu greets the Sect Master and all the Immortal Masters and Elders."

Qin Ranqiu gave a slight curtsy, her voice soft yet clearly carrying throughout the entire hall.

She straightened up, turned to look at Elder Chiyang, whose face was gloomy on the high seat, and calmly said, "Regarding this quota, you immortal masters need not make things so difficult. Ranqiu is but a mortal, born without any spiritual roots and unable to cultivate. In the past, she was fortunate to have her husband's pity and protection, which allowed her to stay at the Dongbao Sect. Being able to live these many more years and witness the scenery of the immortals is a great opportunity in Ranqiu's life."

"Now that my husband has passed away, and the mortal and immortal realms are separate, although Dongbao Mountain is beautiful, it is ultimately not my final destination. Therefore, Qin Ranqiu voluntarily gives up this spot as an inner sect relative, so as not to cause trouble for Young Master Shi, nor to bring shame to the sect's rules."

Upon hearing this, a murmur rippled through the hall.