Stunned!
Truly stunned!
Liu Xiuer stared at Hao Ren in disbelief. He simply couldn't understand what Hao Ren was trying to do.
Make him empty the treasure vault until he dropped dead from exhaustion?
Don't be ridiculous!
With a few more storage bags, the treasure vault could be emptied with ease.
Such a punishment posed no threat at all!
Liu Xiuer was utterly confused, while Hao Ren wore a gentle smile.
"Xiuer, you wish to go out and conquer the world, and as your master, there's not much I can do to help you... As the saying goes, before an army marches, its provisions must be prepared. I shall send you a batch of supplies!"
Upon hearing this, Liu Xiuer felt as if struck by lightning.
He froze completely.
After a long while, he finally reacted.
"Master!"
Liu Xiuer's emotions erupted, tears streaming down his face as he was profoundly touched.
He had returned this time intending to accept Hao Ren's punishment.
Unexpectedly, completely unexpectedly, Hao Ren not only didn't punish him but instead generously gifted him a large amount of supplies.
These supplies were incredibly precious!
The majority of them were salvaged from the battlefield by the "veteran courier" Xiao Long Nü.
The remainder were gifts from Hao Ren's friends, bestowed upon him as their "favorability increased."
These items were of immense value!
He was so moved!
Liu Xiuer's emotions surged, his affection for Hao Ren reaching its peak.
"Master..."
Hao Ren smiled faintly and gently patted Liu Xiuer's shoulder.
"Disciple, be careful when you go out to forge your empire. If you encounter difficulties, uh..."
Hao Ren originally intended to say, "If you have difficulties, come back to me." But upon reflection, he realized it was inappropriate.
It didn't align with his persona of a "hidden cultivator"!
Besides, what if Liu Xiuer genuinely provoked powerful enemies?
"If you encounter difficulties, silently chant the name of your enemy in your heart, and their birth and death dates. Master will help you handle them!"
The enemy's name, the enemy's birth and death dates... A curse!
Hao Ren inwardly praised his own "cleverness"!
As a "hidden cultivator," although he wouldn't directly confront enemies, casting a subtle curse from behind the scenes was perfectly fine!
Uh...
Liu Xiuer was a little taken aback.
To be honest, his master's "admonition" was rather "unconventional" and broke the established pattern.
However, Liu Xiuer quickly cast aside his jumbled thoughts, nodding excitedly.
"Thank you, Master. I shall strictly adhere to your teachings!"
At this moment, Yin Lihua also walked over.
She happened to witness the "deep master-disciple affection" between Hao Ren and Liu Xiuer. This deposed princess was deeply moved, thinking to herself: Liu Lang's master is such a good person!
[Ding! Congratulations to the host. Your friend "Yin Lihua" has increased her favorability towards you by 10000. Current favorability: Four Stars (Sworn Brotherhood)]
Suddenly, a system notification chimed in Hao Ren's mind.
Hao Ren was startled.
What the heck!
How did Yin Lihua's favorability skyrocket so quickly?
No!
He didn't want to share Yin Lihua's grand destiny!
He was a grown man; suddenly gaining a "regal aura" destiny might cause his estrogen levels to surge! Would he become effeminate?
Thinking of this, Hao Ren shivered all over. He immediately sent Liu Xiuer and Yin Lihua away.
Go!
Hurry and leave!
Your presence here puts me in danger!
Liu Xiuer and Yin Lihua thanked Hao Ren profusely and left with a large pile of magical treasures, elixirs, secret manuals, and more.
Outside the cave, Liu Xiuer felt reluctant to part. He led Yin Lihua to kneel and kowtow.
The surrounding Golden Core cultivators all gathered to watch.
What was happening? Had the senior's eldest disciple made a mistake and been expelled from the sect?
Everyone whispered amongst themselves.
Just then, Xiao Long Nü emerged from the cave. She brought out two more storage bags and handed them to Liu Xiuer.
She smiled and said, "These two storage bags are filled with Saint Dragon's Tooth Rice and Dragon's Tooth Rice Wine, respectively. Master instructed that you should eat well and live well while conquering the world outside!"
"Thank you, Master!"
Liu Xiuer was overcome with gratitude. His master's consideration was truly thorough.
The Golden Core cultivators on the side were shocked.
Two storage bags, one filled with "Saint Dragon's Tooth Rice" and the other with "Dragon's Tooth Rice Wine."
Filled, filled, filled...
Important things must be said thrice!
Filled storage bags meant an enormous quantity of "Saint Dragon's Tooth Rice" and "Dragon's Tooth Rice Wine." The senior was exceedingly generous!
True Man Qingfeng's eyes flashed. He realized another crucial point.
The senior's generous bestowal of so much "Saint Dragon's Tooth Rice" and "Dragon's Tooth Rice Wine" indicated that the senior was not angry at all. On the contrary, he still held Liu Xiuer, his first disciple, in high regard.
Now, Liu Xiuer was descending the mountain with the deposed princess to conquer the world!
Therefore, what could he do to show his favor?
True Man Qingfeng hesitated not at all. He strode forward decisively, took out a golden, imposing token, and presented it to Liu Xiuer.
"Fellow Daoist, this token is the Water Moon Sect's sect leader's token. With this token, you can command all the mortal forces of the Water Moon Sect, and in emergencies, you can even summon the aid of hundreds of Foundation Establishment cultivators and ten Golden Core elders!"
What the heck!
True Man Qingfeng was going insane!
The onlookers stared at True Man Qingfeng in disbelief, their eyeballs almost popping out.
The Water Moon Sect's "sect leader's token" was incredibly precious. Over thousands of years, only a handful of individuals had ever received this token, each having made immense contributions to the Water Moon Sect. Now, True Man Qingfeng was gifting it to Liu Xiuer.
Was he mad?
How could Liu Xiuer, a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, be worthy of the Water Moon Sect's "sect leader's token"?
Many couldn't comprehend True Man Qingfeng's actions.
However, Chi Lian, Chong Xuanzi, and others' eyes lit up. They immediately took out their respective sects' "sect leader's tokens" and stepped forward, preparing to present them to Liu Xiuer.
Indeed, Liu Xiuer was just a small Foundation Establishment cultivator; it wasn't particularly necessary to cultivate a relationship with him personally.
But please note, Liu Xiuer was not alone. Behind him stood the divine being known as "the Senior."
The Senior, who suppressed all heavens and was peerless throughout the ages, was so powerful he had no equals.
They, mere Golden Core cultivators, found it truly impossible to curry favor with the Senior directly. All they could do was "seek victory through a roundabout path," by showing favor to Liu Xiuer to please the Senior.
"Fellow Daoist, this is the sect leader's token of our Blazing Fire Sect. Its authority is the same as the Water Moon Sect's sect leader's token!"
"Fellow Daoist, this is the sect leader's token of our Chong Xuan Sect. Please accept it!"
...
Following True Man Qingfeng, Chi Lian, Chong Xuanzi, and others, the sect leaders present snapped back to reality. They all took out their respective sect leader's tokens and eagerly offered them to Liu Xiuer.
"This is the sect leader's token of the De Yun Sect. Please accept it!"
"This is the sect leader's token of the Great Wind Sect. Please accept it!"
...
Liu Xiuer
o ( (⊙_⊙) ) o
Dumbfounded!
Perplexed!
By the time he descended the mountain, he was carrying over a hundred "sect leader's tokens." With this kind of backing, if he merely raised a flag and shouted, the Eastern Desolate Mountain Range could directly rebel... It was too formidable!