Starting with 50 Spirit Stones and 2 Hours with My Senior Sister as Daoist Consort

Every Yin-Yang Sect disciple wore a beaming smile—clearly, they were in high spirits.

“Something big happen in the sect?” Hu Min asked, puzzled.

Li Chuan said, “We’ll know if we ask Senior Brother Zhou at the Mission Hall.”

“Mm, Junior Brother’s right,” she replied.

Hearing Li Chuan mention Zhou Hanhe, Hu Min’s expression turned odd.

Zhou Hanhe was probably still waiting for her to bring back spirit plants.

“Junior Brother, how about you head to the Mission Hall first, and I’ll catch up later?” she asked cautiously.

If she went back with Li Chuan, explaining things would get tricky.

But if he didn’t let her split off, she wouldn’t dare.

Lucky for her, Li Chuan didn’t hold her back.

He didn’t want her as his Dao companion anyway—no need to mess up her thing with Zhou Hanhe.

“Up to you,” he said.

“Thanks, Junior Brother!” she said quick, relieved.

They parted ways—Li Chuan flew toward the Mission Hall, while Hu Min found a spot to rest.

To his surprise, the Mission Hall had fewer disciples on tasks than usual.

So everyone’s in a good mood and slacking off for a few days?

“Senior Brother Zhou, why’s the Mission Hall so empty today?” Li Chuan asked, stepping up to Zhou Hanhe’s counter.

Zhou Hanhe was hunched over something—head snapped up at Li Chuan’s voice.

Seeing him, a glint flashed in his eyes. “Junior Brother Li Chuan! How’d the small world trip go?” he said with a grin.

Nearby, Zhao Mingxuan was also bent over something. Hearing Li Chuan, he looked up too.

He strolled over, first words out: “Junior Brother Li Chuan, anything dangerous in Small World No. 43? Heard it’s been rough over there!”

He’d been sore Li Chuan didn’t hire his Dao companion as a guard.

Part of him hoped Li Chuan got robbed—teach him a lesson.

Part of him didn’t want Hu Min cashing in on Li Chuan either. Total mess in his head.

Facing their scheming stares—each with their own agendas—Li Chuan smiled. “Not bad—good haul, no big trouble.”

Then he asked, “Sect feels different now—what’s up?”

He figured it tied to He Fenglin’s deal.

Sure enough, Zhao Mingxuan lit up. “Junior Brother, you might not know—the sect found a spirit vein and took it over!”

“Just a few days back, the Sect Leader announced: all disciples get a twenty percent bump in monthly stipend from now on, plus a one-time spirit stone bonus.”

“Qi Refiners get 200 to 2,000 stones based on realm and contribution—even pre-Qi Refining juniors snag 10 to 50.”

“I grabbed 700 stones—Junior Brother, go claim yours over there!”

He pointed to the hall’s center, all eager.

A strong sect meant proud disciples.

Showing off the sect’s generosity to a newbie like Li Chuan? He swelled with pride.

Li Chuan, though? Not so thrilled.

Take the spirit vein, fine—but why hand out stones?

A twenty percent stipend hike? Too many stones to burn!

Those senior sisters he hadn’t met yet—they’d jack up prices like crazy!

His immortal bond gig just kicked off, and here came the first inflation wave.

Good thing he could rake in stones—otherwise, he’d be moping.

Chu Mengyou might be the real loser here. He’d prepaid her 3,000 stones—now, post-Foundation, she’d probably claim three or four thousand.

She should raise rates, but with him, she couldn’t—not till his stash ran dry.

Way of the world, huh.

Then again, snapping out of it, he felt a twinge of luck. If that vein popped up a month earlier, Chu Mengyou wouldn’t have needed him for Foundation Pill cash.

He might’ve never learned about bonding with sect sisters.

Could’ve died clueless.

Life’s a crapshoot.

“Oh, right—almost forgot! Senior Sister Mo’s looking for you—dunno why. Said to find her ASAP when you’re back,” Zhao Mingxuan said, smacking his forehead.

He glanced around, then turned to Zhou Hanhe. “Junior Brother Zhou, seen Senior Sister Mo?”

“Been tallying last month’s task totals—didn’t notice,” Zhou Hanhe said, shaking his head. He eyed Li Chuan, words stuck in his throat.

He wanted to ask if Li Chuan ran into Hu Min—didn’t, scared it’d sound forced.

Normally, if Hu Min snagged Li Chuan’s plants, he’d storm here complaining first thing.

That’s how it went with her past marks.

But Li Chuan? Cool as ice, like nothing happened. Zhou Hanhe couldn’t tell—did he dodge Hu Min, or was he playing deep?

“Junior Brother Li Chuan, hang on—I’ll check for you,” Zhao Mingxuan said, all helpful, darting off to track Mo Xiangling.

Just Zhou Hanhe and Li Chuan left. Seeing Li Chuan standing there, not pulling out plants to settle tasks, Zhou Hanhe asked, “Junior Brother, not cashing in tasks? If not, I’ve got stuff to do.”

Li Chuan grinned. “Not yet—I’ll wait for Senior Sister Mo. Go ahead, Senior Brother—don’t mind me.”

Zhou Hanhe’s mouth opened, a pent-up breath choking him.

He hadn’t expected Li Chuan to hold off—he’d hoped to peek at his haul.

Reluctantly ducking back to work, he couldn’t focus—mind buzzing, antsy.

Soon, Zhao Mingxuan bounced back. “Asked around—Senior Sister Mo headed to the inner sect this morning. Probably reporting outer sect Mission Hall stuff to the Chief Overseer. I—”

He’d started to say “I’ll take you,” but spotted Hu Min strolling in. Words shifted: “I’ll point you the way.”

Gossip flared—he had to know how much Hu Min nabbed from Li Chuan. No guiding now.

Li Chuan caught that and smirked—half annoyed, half amused.

In the sect, needing directions?

The inner sect was miles off—how’s that pointed?

“No need, Senior Brother Zhao—I’ll ask around myself,” he said.

The Chief Overseer’s office was at the inner sect Mission Hall—he’d figure it out.

“Alright, go quick then,” Zhao Mingxuan urged.

He worried Li Chuan sticking around would keep Hu Min away.

Sure enough, she headed straight for the hall’s center—stone pickup spot.

After Li Chuan left, Zhao Mingxuan and Zhou Hanhe locked onto her, itching to drag her over.

If not for appearances, Zhou Hanhe might’ve yelled at the stone-dispenser to hurry up.

Hu Min had heard about the spirit vein takeover from a passing junior sister.

Hundreds of stones to claim? She was stoked.

With what she’d earned off Li Chuan, she’d jumped to over a thousand in savings.

A twenty percent stipend boost meant climbing realms faster.

The sect’s stipend wasn’t just stones—pills and talismans too.

For most disciples, over half their cultivation resources came from it.

Even doing nothing, the stipend could push a breakthrough—just slower. Big sect perks.

Seeing Hu Min approach with a faint smile, mood bright, Zhou Hanhe pounced. “Senior Sister, how’d it go?”

Zhao Mingxuan was right there—no dodging him. They’d swapped secrets before—he wasn’t worried.

Though he’d never guess Zhao Mingxuan had snitched to Li Chuan this time.