Yes, Lordi stood completely dumbfounded.
Dude! Seriously?!
So this was the supposedly magnificent, abyss-sent opportunity that Kinson Wexford had been so eager to share with him?
This was the "fateful fortune" that had warranted all that dramatic buildup and ceremonious presentation?
The Jade Tempering Pill—he'd already consumed one from Kim Simona which was pretty good and allowed him successfully undergone his Bone Jaden Transformation, rendering any additional supply completely unnecessary for his personal cultivation needs.
The alchemy formula of Foundation Establishment Pill—he already possessed that exact same formula and had even successfully refined an entire furnace of legendary level Foundation Establishment Pills using it!
To spend fucking 500,000 D$t purchasing two pill alchemy formulas that he had absolutely no use for, that provided him with zero benefit whatsoever... wasn't this the very definition of wasteful insanity?
Wasn't this Bloodline Lord's kind behavior could only be explained by severe mental illness?
If his current cultivation strength weren't so significantly inferior to Kinson Wexford's, if he possessed the physical power and confidence to face the consequences, Lordi genuinely wanted nothing more than to deliver a resounding slap directly across this senior brother's face!
The urge to commit violence pulsed through his veins with almost overwhelming intensity.
No, I still owed the Punishment Crypt more than 70,000 D$t in penalty fees—a debt that hung over his head like an executioner's blade.
Without the proceeds from auctioning those legendary level Bone Tempering Pills, without that Spirit $tones that should have been his, how was he supposed to pay back such an enormous sum? He was ruined by his own senior brother's well-intentioned interference.
Fortunately, his deadly adventure to the Hanz Clan Estate had yielded substantial plunder, even if he hadn't yet found the time to properly inventory and assess everything he'd acquired during that nightmare. Surely a cultivation clan's Treasure House, even one belonging to a family that had fallen into steep decline over many years, even one that had been thoroughly picked over by desperate clan members, would still contain enough valuable resources to scrape together 70,000 D$t worth of assets.
It had to…
Otherwise, he was completely dead...
Taking several deep breaths to steady his turbulent emotions and suppress the urge to say something he'd regret, Lordi accepted the storage pouch that Kinson extended toward him.
He opened it immediately and began conducting a thorough inspection of the materials contained within—raw ingredients, various spirit herbs and plant roots for pill refinement. Despite everything, despite the crushing disappointment and financial disaster, his mood improved marginally as he verified that the raw materials themselves were of good quality and properly preserved. At least Kinson hadn't been completely useless. The raw ingredients would serve him well. He could refine these elixirs and sell them for profit, slowly rebuilding his shattered finances.
"Oh, that's right—Junior Brother Payne, didn't you mention earlier that you also had some matter to discuss with me?" Kinson's memory finally circled back to Lordi's initial attempt to share urgent news.
"Your honor! Urgent news!"
The Bloodline Lord was just opening his mouth to inquire about the specific nature of his junior brother's concerns when the conversation was abruptly interrupted by a disciple who came rushing into the courtyard, the man's expression anxious.
"The Lord Kim of the Dreadbloom Bloodline… she has issued a formal duel letter! A life-and-death duel in the Locked Arena! She demands to settle grudges with you, Lord Wexford!" The messenger's words tumbled out in a breathless rush.
Kinson's brow furrowed deeply, creasing his forehead with lines of confusion and annoyance. "What's going on here? Why is that mad lady gone crazy again?"
His voice carried genuine bewilderment as he responded. "The matter of the Ice Pith Fire from last time—didn't I already provide full compensation to her Dreadbloom Bloodline using Nether Chill Spring? That was an extremely valuable treasure, far exceeding the worth of what was taken. At the time, we reached a clear agreement that the incident would be considered completely resolved, with no lingering debts or grudges between our two Bloodlines. The matter was supposed to end there, settled to everyone's satisfaction. So why is she suddenly issuing death challenges now?"
The messenger disciple lowered his voice respectfully. "Your Honor. Lord Kim claims that someone under your command broke into her clan sister Simona's dwelling and rob both a premium level Jade Tempering Pill and a tub of Nether Chill Spring Water. The theft caused Simona's body constitutes tempering process to catastrophically fail, nearly resulting in her death. Furthermore, Lord Kim alleges that this same intruder made inappropriate sexual advances and nearly violated Simona's virtue and dignity..."
"Hmph! This is utterly absurd, completely unreasonable slander!" Kinson exploded with righteous indignation. "When have I, Kinson Wexford, ever dispatched subordinates to commit such vile acts? These accusations are outrageous fabrications designed to damage my reputation!"
His expression shifted from outrage to cold calculation as he turned his full attention to the messenger, subjecting the unfortunate disciple to an intense interrogation. "Tell me truthfully—have any members of our Bloodline been causing trouble recently? Has anyone been stirring up problems or engaging in questionable behavior that I haven't been informed about? More specifically, has anyone from we Deathveil made trips to the Outer Sect grounds during my absence? I need names, locations, and specific activities. Report everything you know immediately!"
"Senior Brother Wexford, it's clear that you have urgent and important matters demanding your attention here..."
Seeing this development unfold before him, Lordi seized this opportunity to ask for leave. He rose quickly from his seat and offered a perfunctory farewell.
"I shouldn't impose on your time any further when you're dealing with such serious accusations. I'll take my leave now and return to my own place to begin alchemy pills with these materials you've provided..."
"Junior Brother Payne, there's no need for you to leave so quickly. The density of spirit air in the Outer Sect is far too thin and dilute for efficient high-level pill refinement," Kinson interjected, his attention still partially focused on the messenger but trying to be hospitable to his junior brother. "You should stay here and use my personal alchemy facilities. The Inner Sect has far superior conditions for your work. I'll have my Dao puppets prepare everything you need and set up a proper workspace for you..."
"No, no, no! I mean thank you Your Honor. I'm grateful. But that really won't be necessary at all!" Lordi was already moving rapidly toward the villa's exit, his feet carrying him away with increasing speed.
"This humble junior just suddenly remembered—there are actually several urgent matters I left unfinished in the Outer Sect that require my immediate personal attention! I really must return without delay. Thank you for the generous offer, Senior Brother, but I couldn't possibly impose. I'll see you another time! Farewell!"
Taking advantage of the moment when Kinson's attention had fully shifted to interrogating his Deathveil Bloodline's disciples, Lordi slipped smoothly out of the Withered Orchid Villa. Feeling his heart hammered in the chest, Lordi didn't dare look back even once, terrified that Kinson might call out and stop him.
Mmkay... Very… Good...
The matter involving with Kim Simona now had kind Senior Brother Kinson Wexford standing in the front lines for me.
With Bloodline Lord shouldering responsibility as the supposed mastermind... this affair seemed shouldn't have anything further to do with me personally.
With this reassuring conclusion established in his thoughts, Lordi proceeded at a more leisurely pace toward Pill Peak of Outer Sect.
He went directly to the Lab Hotel and secured one of the standard pill refinement chambers for an extended session. After paying the required fee and receiving the temporary access token, he made his way to the assigned chamber and conducted a thorough inspection of the interior space as usual, checking the integrity of the containment formations, verifying that the ventilation arrays were functioning properly, and ensuring that no listening devices or spy formations had been planted by previous occupants. Only after satisfying himself that the room was completely secure and safe did he finally settle in and turn his attention to the todo event he'd been anticipating since returning to the sect.
It was time to properly inventory and assess all the plunder he'd obtained from his adventure at the Hanz Clan Estate.