Chapter 41: Trouble Comes Knocking

Xie Siniang and the others may not have been the first to arrive, but they were far from the last. Each managed to secure a respectable cave abode, though none could compare to Xie Jiuniang’s.

The main reason was that they didn’t have as many formation disks as Xie Jiuniang, and at this moment, they experienced the stark contrast between the rich and the poor. The proverbial cake was only so big, and without capital, even the most eager couldn’t take a bite.

Xie Siniang found Xie Jiuniang by the waterfall, where the latter was busy fencing off a plot of land with wood and erecting a sign that read, “This land has an owner.”

With her formation disks depleted, this was the only way to stake her claim.

While not foolproof, few would covet the open-air areas when cave abodes brimming with spiritual energy were up for grabs.

“Xiao Jiu, what are you up to?” Xie Siniang asked, her curiosity piqued.

Xie Jiuniang glanced up. “Enclosing land, of course. Fourth Sister, haven’t you done the same?”

“This land… aren’t there cave abodes? You didn’t seek one out?”

“I did. But who would turn down more land? Fourth Sister, if you have any formation disks left, hurry and claim a few high-grade spirit fields while everyone’s preoccupied with the cave abodes.”

“Oh? That’s allowed?”

“Didn’t the clan inform you all when we arrived?” Xie Jiuniang’s brows furrowed. “Spirit fields are also a source of income.”

“No, they didn’t.”

“Hmph, the Main Branch is utterly detestable.”

Xie Jiuniang’s disdain for the Main Branch grew with each passing moment, including her eldest brother, Xie Haoran. Had he been attentive, he could have easily reminded them about these matters.

She explained, “A year from now, the cave abodes will be redistributed based on the outer sect’s combat power rankings. Spirit fields, however, are different. As long as you pay the sect a sum of spirit stones on time each year, you can continue using them.”

That is, unless the person left Fourth Peak.

Realizing the importance of spirit fields, Xie Siniang rushed to the area above the waterfall and enclosed two plots adjacent to Xie Jiuniang’s.

Each spirit field was equivalent to one mu (1 mu: 666.5 m², 0.17 acre, or 1/15 hectare), so two plots equaled two mu (2 mu: 1,333 m²) of land. It wasn’t that Xie Siniang didn’t want to claim more, but she lacked spare formation disks.

Without hesitation, she informed Xie Xu and the others.

They wasted no time in joining the fray, and soon, the younger generation of the Xie family had divided the fifty-plus mu (20 mu: 8.24 acre) of high-grade spirit fields above the waterfall. Xie Xu alone occupied eight mu (8 mu: 1.32 acre), while the others, like Xie Siniang, were limited by their formation disk supply.

Xie Jiuniang stood out even more, having claimed twenty mu (20 mu: 3.3 acre) for herself.

More than a dozen people gathered below the waterfall, and seeing Xie Jiuniang’s actions, some imitated her and enclosed plots of their own. As more people caught on, they realized that following Xiao Jiu’s lead was always the right choice in the sect.

“I’m planning to build a small bamboo hut here to relax in when I’m bored,” Xie Jiuniang said helplessly. “What are you all enclosing it for?”

“We…” Several people were at a loss for words.

Xie Siniang chimed in, “We can be neighbors with Xiao Jiu. Besides, a year from now, we might not be able to keep our cave abodes.”

A valid point indeed.

Xie Jiuniang let them be, but not before reminding them, “Three days from now, disciples from the Miscellaneous Duties Hall will come to register the spirit fields. Remember to guard your plots; otherwise…”

If they missed the first registration, the Miscellaneous Duties Hall would list the unregistered fields as ownerless. Any disciple of Fourth Peak could then claim ownership by paying a small processing fee at the Duties Hall.

Xie Xu wanted to ask Xie Jiuniang how she knew about these matters, but he stopped himself. Who didn’t have secrets? As long as a person meant no harm, all was well.

The outer sect disciples were raised in a free-range style of cultivation. As long as one understood the rules, they could live comfortably. The resources here far surpassed those in the clan, with the abundance of spiritual energy being the most direct evidence.

No wonder everyone was so desperate to squeeze into the major sects…

“Bang, bang, bang…”

Xie Jiuniang suddenly stood up, her gaze fixed on the top of the waterfall. “Is someone attacking my formation?”

“Who dares? Do they have a death wish?” Xie Xu’s aura sharpened in an instant as he rose to his feet.

Xie Jiuniang used her qinggong (swift foot technique), leaping up the waterfall in a few graceful bounds, with Xie Xu and the others close behind.

Above the waterfall, eight new disciples were concentrating their attacks on one of the protective formations using magic tools. The barrier formed by the formation flickered, on the verge of collapse under the onslaught of techniques.

“Hurry! Put your backs into it! The formation is about to break!” the leading disciple shouted.

Seeing this, Xie Jiuniang immediately entered the formation and found the spirit stones in the formation disk’s slots being consumed at an alarming rate. Just as they were about to run out, she hastily replenished them.

Within a few breaths, the formation stabilized with the influx of fresh spirit stones.

The disciples outside let out a surprised “Huh?”

“It stabilized again? What’s going on? Could someone be inside the formation?” one of them exclaimed.

“That’s right! It’s your little ancestor here!” Xie Jiuniang appeared, her expression frosty.

Xie Xu and his companions took up positions in front of the formation.

The disciples who were about to attack paused, exchanging glances. Attacking a formation was one thing, but attacking people? That was a different matter entirely.

The leading disciple’s eyes widened in surprise. “You again, you little swindler?”

“You know me?” Xie Jiuniang raised an eyebrow, sizing up the person before her. “Oh, I remember now. During the sect entrance exam, you bought a hundred jin of dried meat and spread rumors everywhere, claiming my dried meat was the most unpalatable in history.”

Silence descended upon the surroundings at those words.

Was that a rumor? It was clearly the truth!

Xie Jiuniang frowned. “What’s the meaning of you attacking my formation now?”

The leading disciple might have let it slide had she not brought it up, but now, fury consumed him. “Little swindler, you’ve gone too far. Occupying three high-grade cave abodes wasn’t enough for you, and now you want to monopolize all the high-grade spirit fields? I’m here with people to bring you to justice.”

“What? According to the rules, the first person to arrive at the residential mountain can freely choose, right? There’s nothing wrong with that,” Xie Jiuniang retorted righteously.

The leading disciple sputtered, “There’s nothing wrong with that, but you…”

“If there’s nothing wrong, then that’s that.” Xie Jiuniang cut him off, feigning surprise. “No way, no way. You guys can’t accept defeat?”

Xie Siniang chimed in, “That’s right. It’s not manly at all. If you can’t accept defeat, you want to resort to robbery. Are you sect disciples or bandits?”

The other members of the Xie family quickly echoed their agreement.

The eight disciples, magic tools in hand, turned red-faced under the barrage of accusations. They were all children in their early teens, with thin skin. (Thin skin: An idiom that means easily embarrassed or a person that is easily offended by criticism.)

It was said that without rules, there could be no order. The sect had thrived for over ten thousand years, relying on a set of mature sect rules.

For daily sparring, there was the arena; for ordinary disputes, the contest platform; for greater grudges, the enmity platform, where life and death were one’s own responsibility.

Private fights were all punishable by confinement.

Xie Xu spoke up, “Everyone, our actions have not violated the sect rules. As for your behavior, if it were reported to the sect’s law enforcement team…”

At the mention of the law enforcement team, the disciples became quite apprehensive.

However, the leading disciple remained arrogant and haughty, contemptuously surveying Xie Jiuniang and the others.

Then, with his head held high and an air of superiority, he said, “Do you think I’m afraid? My name is Xuanyuan You, a legitimate young master of the Xuanyuan family. My great-grandfather is Venerable Guangcheng of the Tianxu Sect. Even the people from the Law Enforcement Hall wouldn’t dare to trouble me. When they come, I’ll have them arrest you all…”

Xie Jiuniang looked at him with disdain, showing no fear. “Not only do you violate the rules, but you also want to bully others with your status? Have some shame, will you? If Venerable Guangcheng knew about this, he might not even want to acknowledge you as his unfilial descendant.”

Xuanyuan You inexplicably felt a chill run down his spine and glanced around nervously.

In another place, within the cultivation secret realm of the sect’s Deity Transformation experts, one such expert, knowing that there were new disciples today and having nothing to do, paid attention to the situation. He happened to witness this scene and immediately told Venerable Guangcheng as a joke.

Venerable Guangcheng had a foul temper. Upon hearing this, he immediately spread his spiritual sense and saw that it was indeed true. He transmitted a message to Xuanyuan You, “You brat, hurry up and scram. Stop embarrassing your old ancestor. Do you want another beating?”

“Great-grandfather?” Xuanyuan You immediately shrank his neck. If he had been a domineering rooster just now, then at this moment, he was a pitiful little quail.

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