Though low-grade Tianyuan Crystals were less effective now, quantity could still compensate for quality.
If a hundred weren’t enough, then a thousand, or ten thousand!
“You’re going too far! Even if you defeated the Leech Heavenly Venerable, without the administrator’s approval, you’re not the boss here. We’ve no reason to obey you.”
The Leech Heavenly Venerable’s men clung to their defiance, huddling together, their bravado masking fear.
“If you want to die, keep holding out. Killing you lot won’t take me long!”
Ling Xiao said coldly.
“Master, let me handle them. No need to dirty your hands,” Leng Mei said with a smile.
“You’re mad! If you kill so many at once, the administrators and Pixiu Island won’t let you off!”
The Leech Heavenly Venerable’s men shouted.
“Is that so? I’d like to try!”
Ling Xiao had planned to start a riot here. Did he care about Pixiu Island’s anger?
What a joke.
With that, he pointed, and all the Leech Heavenly Venerable’s men collapsed.
These bloodthirsty scum deserved death long ago.
Ling Xiao had considered sparing them to help resist Pixiu Island, but now he saw keeping them alive would be a disaster.
A betrayal during the riot would be trouble enough.
“Leng Mei, collect all their storage rings.”
Leng Mei nodded, gathering the rings from the dead men and the Leech Heavenly Venerable himself.
“Young man, hoarding Tianyuan Crystals alone will bring trouble. Killing the Leech Heavenly Venerable might anger the administrator, but they’ll want to use you, so they won’t act. But targeting the crystals is different,” an old man said shakily, stepping from the crowd.
“Are you content to live trembling, exploited like livestock?” Ling Xiao countered.
“We want to resist, but it’s futile. The Leech Heavenly Venerable was just Circle Two’s slave boss. Killing him means nothing. The real issue is Pixiu Island’s administrators,” the old man said, shaking his head.
“So what?” Ling Xiao asked.
“What?”
The old man was stunned.
“Every wrong has its source. Did you think I acted just to kill the Leech Heavenly Venerable? Laughable! All of you, think carefully. Those willing to join me in breaking out, prepare yourselves. I’ll visit every circle in this underground factory, cut down Pixiu Island’s lackeys, and finally deal with the island itself!”
Ling Xiao wasn’t afraid of snitches.
Even without them, his actions were likely under Pixiu Island’s watch. Staying completely hidden was impossible.
He wanted Pixiu Island to see him as an arrogant lunatic, too insignificant to bother with.
The island trained circle bosses for a reason, expecting them to handle someone like Ling Xiao.
They’d cook the dish based on the ingredients.
Why would Pixiu Island care about a mere early Three Talents Heaven martial artist?
Done speaking, Ling Xiao ignored the martial artists and began counting the Tianyuan Crystals with Leng Mei.
The haul was substantial.
Even a genius like Ling Xiao could only produce thirty low-grade Tianyuan Crystals a month.
Yet the Leech Heavenly Venerable and his men had over a thousand!
At an exchange rate of ten thousand low-grade spirit stones per low-grade Tianyuan Crystal, that was over a hundred million spirit stones.
Watching Ling Xiao count the crystals, Ximen Bo’s eyes reddened with jealousy and rage.
He desperately wanted to report Ling Xiao to the administrators for punishment.
But he didn’t dare move.
Ling Xiao’s terrifying strength had shattered his courage.
The Leech Heavenly Venerable, a Five Elements Heaven cultivator, was nothing before Ling Xiao, defeated effortlessly.
In such circumstances, Ximen Bo, valuing his life, wouldn’t dare provoke him.
The thousand-plus low-grade Tianyuan Crystals were the Leech Heavenly Venerable’s decade-long extortion.
In Circle Two, he was the strongest, with others at Four Symbols Heaven or below.
Each person could produce up to four low-grade Tianyuan Crystals monthly.
Ninety percent went to Pixiu Island, leaving the Leech Heavenly Venerable with just ten percent—not much.
Plus, he used some for cultivation, so over a decade, this was all he amassed, only to lose it to Ling Xiao for his recklessness.
…
“A thousand-plus is still too few.”
Back in the cave, Ling Xiao said.
“Too few?” Leng Mei was stunned.
“Yes, too few. Since we’re starting a riot, let’s go all out and rob the other circle bosses. Their wealth is ill-gotten anyway.”
“Agreed, but won’t Pixiu Island cause trouble?” Leng Mei asked, frowning.
“Not for now. I only planted the seeds of rebellion among the slaves, not incited them. Pixiu Island doesn’t have time for that,” Ling Xiao shook his head, “This is our chance. We must finish what we need before they act.”
“I’ll follow your lead, Master.”
Leng Mei felt a thrill.
Her master’s unconventional approach was astounding. Pixiu Island’s underground factory had stood for years, and no one had dared challenge all the circle bosses.
At most, someone replaced their own circle’s boss.
More importantly, her master genuinely wanted to destroy this place.
As a former slave, she knew the pain of slavery intimately.
Ling Xiao’s actions touched her, deepening her loyalty.
“Before that, I need to keep boosting my strength!”
Ling Xiao knew defeating the Leech Heavenly Venerable was minor. With so many Tianyuan Crystals, he’d use them.
It was only the twenty-second, with nine days until the month’s end. He planned to cultivate for three days, focusing on his cultivation.
…
Three days later, using over a thousand low-grade Tianyuan Crystals and Heavenly Spirit Pills, Ling Xiao broke through to peak Three Talents Heaven!
“It’s time!”
He smiled, feeling the surging power in his body, eager for a fight.
Though Leng Mei hadn’t broken through, her early Five Elements Heaven cultivation was solidified.
