I Can Add Points Infinitely - Chapter 54
“Alright, alright, you all just use seniority to bully me,” Dong Yanyan pouted, looking frustrated.
“So, you want to tell Master? Fine, go ahead,” she said defiantly, then added, “But… at least let me explain first. Even if I have to die, I want to die knowing why.”
“Alright, don’t say I didn’t give you a chance. Now explain what’s going on,” Yun Xiong commanded in a stern voice.
Dong Yanyan rolled her eyes and began explaining in a low voice.
By the time she finished, everyone finally understood the situation.
Dong Yanyan had an active and playful personality, always fond of having fun, with a knack for getting into mischief. Earlier in the year, while she was on a mission outside the sect, she used the excuse of an unfinished task to delay her return to the sect, enjoying her time roaming around.
Fortunately, her strength was not weak; she was at the eighth level of Qi Refining, and her sharp instincts helped her avoid any real danger.
The group of “bandits” she encountered, led by the burly man, was actually a small group of refugees who had fled from a nearby city, unable to bear the heavy taxes and levies. They were looking for a place near a sect to settle down.
However, they left the city without any plan, and once they were outside, they had no idea where to go. Desperate and running out of food, they stumbled upon Dong Yanyan.
Seeing that she was just a young girl, they decided to rob her for some gold or silver. Of course, things did not go as they planned, and they were severely punished by Dong Yanyan.
After hearing about their plight, Dong Yanyan felt sympathy for them and wanted to help but didn’t know how. With limited money on her, she came up with a bad idea: she told them to rob well-dressed rich people. If they were lucky, robbing a few households would sustain them for a while, and then they could quickly find a place to settle.
And so, the burly man and his group set out with their luck—and happened to come across Shen Lian and his companions, who were dressed like wealthy nobles.
“That’s the whole story,” Dong Yanyan concluded, shrugging.
Yun Xiong remained silent. This world was indeed harsh. He himself had come from a common background and was fortunate to be taken in by the Azure Cloud Sect, eventually rising to become a true disciple. He understood the hardships faced by the common folk.
However, given the overall state of the world, most ordinary people led difficult lives. Even if he wanted to help, how many could he truly save?
“Senior Brother, why did you all come here anyway? This place is quite far from the Azure Cloud Sect,” Dong Yanyan asked curiously.
“We’re accompanying our Junior Brother on a sect mission… Oh, right, I haven’t introduced you yet,” Yun Xiong said, pointing at Shen Lian. “This is the new disciple taken in by Master, Shen Lian.”
“Junior Brother, this troublemaker is our Fourth Senior Sister, Dong Yanyan.”
“Fourth Senior Sister,” Shen Lian greeted her politely.
“Wow, I have a Junior Brother now! Great! Finally, I’m not the youngest anymore,” Dong Yanyan said excitedly, patting Shen Lian’s shoulder with delight. “Don’t worry, Junior Brother, if you ever need anything, your Senior Sister will take care of you!”
“Be mindful,” Yun Xiong reminded her with a shake of his head. “Yanyan, Junior Brother is now a core disciple. Although he is nominally our junior, he holds a higher position in the sect than we do.”
“Furthermore, this mission is assigned by the Sect Master for our Junior Brother to handle, and we are here to assist. Junior Brother will be in charge, and we will follow his orders. Understand?”
“Huh?” Dong Yanyan looked surprised, then quickly became disappointed.
“So, I’m still the youngest?” she muttered.
“Exactly,” Luo Junyuan and Shan Qing nodded, looking at her with sympathy.
Dong Yanyan sighed but soon recovered, her cheerful nature returning as she asked Shen Lian curiously, “Junior Brother, what kind of mission did the Sect Master assign you?”
“Managing the mining operation in Dongshi Valley,” Shen Lian replied directly.
“A mining operation?” Dong Yanyan’s eyes lit up with an idea. “Perfect! I’ve been worried about where to settle these folks. Since you’re in charge of managing a mine, why not bring them along?”
“They can work in the mine, and it would give them a stable place to live.”
“Hmm?” Shen Lian paused. “Are the mines in Dongshi Valley worked by commoners?”
He had assumed that the mining operations were managed by disciples of the Azure Cloud Sect.
“Of course!” Dong Yanyan responded. “All the major sects hire commoners to work in their mines. Sect disciples are busy cultivating; who has time to mine?”
“I see…” Shen Lian hesitated for a moment before saying, “Let’s hear what they have to say first. Senior Sister, can you gather everyone here?”
“Sure,” Dong Yanyan agreed and waved her hand to call out.
The burly man and his group obediently emerged from the forest.
They had been watching everything in stunned silence, realizing that the “rich people” they had intended to rob were actually powerful cultivators.
Seeing this unfold, the group of refugees, led by the burly man, stood in a row with their heads lowered, not daring to speak.
Shen Lian contemplated for a moment before addressing them. “Everyone, I understand your situation now, so I’m offering you two choices.”
“First, I can give you some silver, enough to support you for a while. During that time, you can find a place to settle.”
“Second, I know of a mine where you can work. It might be tough, but at least you won’t have to worry about your livelihood anymore.”
The group looked up in surprise, murmuring amongst themselves before the burly man stepped forward to speak on their behalf.
“May I ask… sir, where is this mine, and who manages it?”
“The exact location can’t be revealed just yet, but it’s managed by the Azure Cloud Sect,” Shen Lian replied.
“The Azure Cloud Sect? The largest sect in southern Yan Country?” the burly man asked in amazement.
“Correct, and it’s also our sect,” Shen Lian nodded.
“Then we’re willing to work in the mine,” the burly man responded without hesitation.
“Good. Gather everyone, and we’ll set off once you’re all here,” Shen Lian instructed.
This decision did not surprise him. The name of Azure Cloud Sect carried significant weight in the southern region of Yan Country, whether among cultivators or common folk.
The burly man turned and issued orders, and the group quickly retreated into the forest.
After about a cup of tea’s time, more commoners began to appear—mostly elderly, women, and children.
Half an hour later, everyone was assembled.
Shen Lian counted thirty-seven people in total, with roughly half of them able to work.
Such a small number wouldn’t have much impact on the mining operation, he thought.
But little did Shen Lian know, he was underestimating the complexity of managing a mining operation.