Chapter 312: Each One More Ruthless Than the Last

"Congratulations?"

"But no matter how I look at it, it doesn't seem that way," Lin Fan said with feigned disbelief, then looked at the Nine Heavens Sect disciples. "These people came to congratulate us—what did they bring? Tell me."

Killing the chicken to scare the monkeys.

Lin Fan was not so bloodthirsty as to start a massacre over a disagreement. These sect masters might be seeking death, but their disciples couldn't all be evil.

Besides, it had worked out well so far. One sect master had jumped out to be a cannon fodder. Though Lin Fan wasn't bloodthirsty, killing one person on a whim was no problem.

At that moment, the sect masters' faces changed upon hearing this.

They hadn't expected him to ask about this.

Especially the sect master who had previously sent a box of gold—his face was as pale as paper.

If he had known it would come to this, even if he had ten times the courage, he wouldn't have sent a box of gold.

To ordinary people, gold might be precious, but to sects, it was like scrap metal, utterly useless.

Sect Master Hu, meanwhile, breathed a sigh of relief. Thinking about the gifts they had sent—jewelry and gold—at least he had sent a ten-year Vermilion Fruit.

At this point, a Nine Heavens Sect disciple stepped forward, his face full of excitement, and shouted loudly at the people below who had previously been so arrogant.

"Crimson Cloud Sect: one ten-year Vermilion Fruit."

"Blazing Path Sect: one box of gold."

Sect Master Hu listened to the gifts. His was at the top—a ten-year Vermilion Fruit. Though a modest gift, compared to the other sects, it was certainly generous.

When he heard that Sect Master Liu had sent a box of gold, Hu couldn't help but glance at him. Poor bastard.

Although he had only sent a ten-year Vermilion Fruit, in comparison, he was far better off than them.

But then something puzzled Sect Master Hu: why had the Nine Heavens Sect disciple only reported two people and stopped?

Sect Master Hu was still waiting to hear what the others had sent. It seemed someone had sent a coffin—he wondered how tragic that would be.

At that moment, Hu smiled at the crowd, and the crowd smiled back at Hu and Liu.

"Brother Lin, that's all. Only Sect Master Hu and Sect Master Liu gave gifts," the Nine Heavens Sect disciple said.

Hearing this, Sect Master Hu was utterly dumbfounded. How was this possible? Earlier, when they were chatting, everyone had mentioned what they were giving. How could it be only him and Liu?

"What? You all came to congratulate, but didn't even bring a gift? Do you look down on the Nine Heavens Sect?" Lin Fan's tone was calm, but to the listeners, it was chilling, making their hearts uneasy.

"No, no, we haven't given our gifts yet. They're still here. We planned to present them personally to Sect Master Xin at the end," the sect masters quickly said, sighing in relief. Good thing they hadn't given gifts earlier, or they'd be in trouble.

Originally, they had thought the Nine Heavens Sect was already a piece of meat on the chopping block, so why bother with gifts?

Earlier, when Hu and the others talked about gifts, it seemed they were comparing who could give the cheapest thing. Naturally, they had all spouted nonsense.

One sect master even mentioned a coffin, which was approved by the others.

Now that things had taken a turn, they were extremely grateful.

As for Sect Master Hu and Sect Master Liu, in their eyes, those two were doomed.

"Oh, that's fine. But what about Sect Master Hu and Sect Master Liu? A ten-year Vermilion Fruit? A box of gold? Are they insulting my brother? How about I pay the gift for you?" Lin Fan said, staring at the two.

Sect Master Hu's face changed, and he glared at his disciples, shouting harshly.

"Who brought the wrong thing?"

The Crimson Cloud Sect disciples looked at each other. Finally, a quick-witted disciple stepped forward and immediately wailed, "Sect Master, I made a mistake. You told me to bring a ten-thousand-year Vermilion Fruit, but I was careless and brought a ten-year one. Please calm your anger."

Patriarch Hu was quite gratified to see a disciple step forward, and he also committed the disciple's appearance to memory, planning to reward him handsomely upon return. But when he heard the second half, Patriarch Hu nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood.

Ten-thousand-year Vermilion Fruit?

Holy shit...

Ten-year Vermilion Fruits are worthless, hundred-year ones are worth something, and those over a thousand years—well, a thousand years multiplies the value several times over. Now a ten-thousand-year Vermilion Fruit appears—he might as well sell the entire sect.

At this moment, Patriarch Hu's body trembled incessantly, but he dared not speak out directly. Instead, he shot the disciple a meaningful look, signaling him not to say 'ten thousand years.'

But that disciple probably failed to grasp the meaning of the patriarch's gaze, thinking he was being told it was too little. He then sighed inwardly, 'The patriarch is truly generous.'

'Wrong, wrong...' The disciple called out again.

Hearing this, Patriarch Hu breathed a sigh of relief. 'Good, clever enough.'

'It's not one ten-thousand-year Vermilion Fruit—it's two.'

Patriarch Hu, who had just barely recovered, heard these words and immediately felt a surge of blood rush upward, which he forcibly swallowed back down.

Two ten-thousand-year Vermilion Fruits... This... this...

'Patriarch Hu, you are too kind,' Lin Fan spoke up at this moment.

Lin Fan knew about ten-thousand-year Vermilion Fruits; the Sacred Sect also had them, but only four.

A very precious item.

At this moment, Patriarch Hu felt as if he were about to die, but now he had no choice but to steel himself and reply, 'No, no, it's only right, only right.'

The patriarchs of the other sects, seeing Patriarch Hu go to such lengths, were all dumbfounded.

Two ten-thousand-year Vermilion Fruits—that was no joke.

Could it be that the Red Cloud Sect was selling off everything they had?

How were they supposed to present their gifts now?

'Patriarch Liu, this chest of gold is quite something...' At this moment, Lin Fan turned his gaze to Patriarch Liu.

Patriarch Liu panicked for a moment and had just turned around to look at the disciples behind him.

But one disciple stepped forward on his own. Patriarch Liu nodded approvingly.

'Patriarch, I misheard you. You told me to send a chest of Yellow Essence Spirit, but I heard a chest of gold...'

'Pfft...'

Before the disciple could finish, Patriarch Liu instantly spat out a mouthful of old blood, then nearly fainted from instability.

If someone hadn't been there to support him, he would have passed out.

Lin Fan watched the scene before him and laughed heartily inside. 'Patriarch Liu, why are you spitting blood?'

'I'm spitting blood from joy, congratulating Patriarch Xin on his ascension.' Patriarch Liu caught his breath. In his heart, he wanted to tear the disciple limb from limb—wasn't this a spy sent by the other side?

A chest of Yellow Essence Spirit—what did that represent? If exchanged for the foundation of the Fire Dao Sect, it would be a full tenth of their entire foundation.

'Well, we must thank Patriarch Liu for this. Brother Xin Feng, the rest is up to you.' Lin Fan said with a smile.

'Alright.' Xin Feng cast a grateful glance at Lin Fan. A single look contained a thousand words, all unspoken.

At this moment, the patriarchs of the various sects were all pondering: these two had given gifts, each more ruthless than the last—what were they supposed to do?

Damn it, they had originally come to carve up territory, but now they were spitting blood to give gifts. This... the change was too great.

But that person from the Sacred Sect was terrifyingly formidable, not someone they could afford to provoke.