Chapter 178 - Is My Identity That Valuable?

’I was clearly borrowing Spiritual Source, but in their eyes, it was a deposit.’’You might not feel short-changed, but I feel terrible about it.’

But how could Song Qing have saved up so much Spiritual Source?

"He must have scrimped and saved to get it," Xiaopang said, sporting heavy dark circles under his eyes. "I doubt my dad pays him that much."

"He’s still not as frugal as Old Chang," Song Qing said.

Jiang Man didn’t hesitate. He gave Chang Qiweng the twelve thousand plus two thousand in interest.

Next was Xiaopang’s twenty thousand plus four thousand in interest.

Thirty-eight thousand in total.

He paid it all back.

Now he had one thousand Spiritual Source left.

Currently, he only owed Fang Yong twelve thousand, Song Qing twelve thousand, and his master over four thousand. None of those were urgent.

After receiving his Spiritual Source, Chang Qiweng kept five thousand and gave nine thousand to Jiang Man. "I’m going to use what’s left to push for the Qi Refining Ninth Layer," he said. "The next time I come here, I should be at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer."

Hearing this, the others were all stunned.

They apparently hadn’t expected Chang Qiweng to advance so quickly.

"Isn’t that perfectly normal?" Cheng Yu said from the side. "He was one of the top three in our courtyard from the very beginning, and one of the top three from a poor background, at that."

"He’s only a little behind Young Master Fang."

"Then has Luo Xuan reached the Qi Refining Ninth Layer?" Xiaopang asked, looking over curiously.

"Almost," replied Luo Xuan casually, who had been focused on organizing her ledgers.

Xiaopang was startled. She had actually heard them talking.

’I’ll have to be more careful with what I say.’

"I’m almost there too. When will Young Master Gao reach the Ninth Layer?" Cheng Yu asked, smiling at Xiaopang.

"I’m about to reach the Seventh Layer, but Brother Jiang told me to undergo Reincarnation right after that, instead of waiting for the Ninth Layer," Xiaopang said.

Cheng Yu said with a grin, "Is Young Master Gao cultivating so hard because of Luo Xuan?"

Hearing this, Xiaopang was taken aback. "No way! Luo Xuan is a genius young miss."

Cheng Yu whispered, "Young Master Gao, you could actually be a bit bolder. You’re someone with backing. Sooner or later, Luo Xuan will be weaker than you."

"That won’t work either. I have grand ambitions," Xiaopang said seriously.

"Three wives and four concubines?" Cheng Yu asked.

For a moment, Xiaopang was stunned.

’How does she know me so well?’

"Jiang Man will probably only have one wife. How are you going to have three wives and four concubines?" Cheng Yu whispered.

Song Qing handed a piece of dried meat to Chang Qiweng, and the two of them ate while watching the conversation unfold.

Just then, Xiaopang looked at Jiang Man and asked, "Brother Jiang, would sister-in-law agree to you taking a concubine?"

Jiang Man finished counting his Spiritual Source, silently put it away, and then looked at Xiaopang with a straight face. He patted his shoulder and said solemnly, "Let’s cultivate. I’ll guide you personally."

With that, Cheng Yu could only retreat back into the shop to chat with Luo Xuan. "Young Master Gao is so strange. Doesn’t he realize how high his status is to people like us?"

"I think you get along with them quite well. I could never be like that," Luo Xuan said.

Cheng Yu paused for a moment, then said with a smile, "You can’t just say things like that. The one I admire now is Young Master Fang. What if he misunderstands?"

"Is Young Master Fang interested in you?" Luo Xuan asked curiously.

"Not at all," Cheng Yu said with a smile. "How could Young Master Fang possibly take an interest in me? Now, if I had formed a deep bond with him when he was at his lowest, he would certainly be interested in me now."

"So you’re just helping him with his affairs?"

"Yes."

"He could replace you at any time?"

"Yes."

"Then what would you do if he replaced you?"

Hearing this, Cheng Yu thought for a moment and said, "I’d hope that person could handle Young Master Fang’s family affairs well, so he can focus on his Cultivation without any worries."

Luo Xuan stared blankly at the person before her.

Cheng Yu took a step back and said, "Don’t look at me like that. Young Master Fang has actually been very good to me. Take your current situation, for example. Isn’t it many times better than you expected?"

"It is," Luo Xuan said softly. "I learned from my father that the Gao Family isn’t making any demands. Everything depends on Gao Yao’s decision."

"They want him to go back and inherit the family business."

"Inherit the family business? That’s impossible," Xiaopang said seriously to Song Qing while they were cultivating.

The two of them subconsciously looked over.

Song Qing was baffled. "Young Master, that’s your family. What’s wrong with inheriting the family business?"

"Don’t you know I’m not cut out for that? A man has to accept his own mediocrity," Xiaopang said.

"But Young Master, isn’t your mediocrity in Cultivation?" Song Qing said.

"I have Brother Jiang," Xiaopang said.

Jiang Man nodded. "This child is teachable."

’Watching Xiaopang struggle and pull all-nighters... I think it’s great.’

’Go back and inherit the family business?’

’I can’t stand to see that happen.’

’Too bad I came into this world naked and with nothing.’

’Old Huang, as an Evil God, only knows how to find himself a wife.’

’No family business to speak of.’

’I’m even the one renting him his house.’

As Jiang Man was leaving, Chang Qiweng told him that someone had recently been looking into the personnel files of the Yunqian Bureau.

He didn’t know who they were looking for.

It wasn’t just in Luoyun City, but in other places as well.

Cheng Yu also mentioned seeing someone on a flying sword above the village, searching for something.

Jiang Man was quite concerned. ’Are they looking for me? Or for the Old Yellow Ox?’

After all, the Old Yellow Ox was an Evil God, and he himself had provoked a Fairy.

Additionally, Xiaopang asked him if he would participate in the annual assessment this time.

Jiang Man gave an affirmative answer.

Of course he would participate.

Then Xiaopang asked if he was confident he could stay at the top.

Jiang Man gave a mysterious smile. "In three years at most, a light will shine upon the entire Outer Sect."

Then Jiang Man left.

Leaving Xiaopang and the others to look at each other in confusion.

What did that mean?

"Brother Jiang is getting better and better at speaking in riddles," Xiaopang said.

On his way back, Jiang Man ran into Fang Yong.

Fang Yong gave him fifty-five thousand Spiritual Source.

Jiang Man was stunned. "Which young master or young miss did you rob? Are you trying to frame me?"

Fang Yong stared at him and said, "Is that the kind of person I am?"

"Aren’t you?" Jiang Man retorted.

Fang Yong nodded. "Fair enough."

Then he explained.

Jiang Man was astonished. "Eighty thousand?"

"This is to buy out the information, and you are not to tell anyone else," Fang Yong said.

’Being an Unparalleled Celestial Pride is really valuable,’ Jiang Man thought, nodding. "I understand. I get paid to do a job. No problem."

Fang Yong stared at Jiang Man for a long time before saying, "You have Spiritual Source now. Can I have mine back?"

"Prepare well. I’ll make you famous in this year’s annual assessment," Jiang Man said, turning and walking away.

’The loan isn’t due until next year. Why would I pay it back this year?’

Jiang Man never would have thought that after spending over thirty thousand, he would come back with sixty-five thousand.

’It looks like I can improve even more now.’

「The next day.」

Jiang Man arrived at the Eighth Courtyard.

Today was March fourth.

The results of the assessment were already out.

Unsurprisingly, Zhuo Bufan was still number one. The aura around him had changed somewhat.

It seemed that by always being first, he had obtained a great deal of resources.

If this continued, he would soon leave the second-place person far behind.

When Zhao Yaoyao saw Jiang Man, she asked, "Jiang Man, are you participating in the June assessment?"

Jiang Man nodded. "I should be."

"The annual assessment too?" Zhuo Bufan asked.

Jiang Man nodded.

"Do you have a team then?" Zhao Yaoyao asked.

Jiang Man answered honestly, "For the three-person team? I’ve found someone from the Ninth Courtyard, but there’s still one spot open."

Zhuo Bufan said regretfully, "I have to follow my family’s arrangements."

Zhao Yaoyao also lamented, "I have my old team."

"Can I join?" Lin Qingshan asked.

Jiang Man looked at the dark circles under his eyes and said, "A genius."

After that, he naturally agreed.

"Do Zhuo Bufan and Zhao Yaoyao think they’re all that just because they’ve been first and second for so long?" Cao Cheng whispered.

An Rong nodded. "Of course they do. If you were first or second, you’d be the same. It’s the third-place person who knows their place."

"Write," came Wei Beichuan’s cold voice.

Instantly, the two of them lowered their heads and continued writing.

The content was: I was wrong. I should not have mocked Wei Beichuan.

Jiang Man watched, baffled. ’These people are all nuts.’

As for why they were writing, the reason was simple: Wei Beichuan had surpassed them.

He was now fourth in the courtyard.

A lower rank meant you were weaker, and in the courtyard, the weak had to pay a price for mocking others.

A quaint courtyard.

Qing Dai made her way to a room. Seeing the door was open, she stepped inside and stopped by the dressing table, speaking softly to Meng Qiewei, "Miss, the list has been delivered. Would you like to see it?"