The Cannon Fodder’s Inner Thoughts Were Overheard by the Villain [Transmigration Into a Book] - Chapter 51

Elder Nishang hesitated. “Isn’t this… perhaps unwise?”

Jiang Minghuan calmly adjusted his sleeves. “What’s wrong with it? What use are disciples who can share prosperity but not hardship? It’s already generous of me not to hold them accountable. Do you think the sect cultivates them out of charity?”

Elder Nishang knew this to be true, but the Cloud Sect was currently understaffed and desperately needed disciples. While it was true that the former Inner Sect disciples’ cultivation levels were decent, that was about all that could be said for them.

Pei Jingyuan glanced at Elder Nishang and said, “With Ahuan here, the Cloud Sect will never lack for disciples.”

Elder Nishang composed herself. “My anxiety got the better of me. In that case… let it be as you say.”

Jiang Minghuan considered for a moment. “If the Elder is concerned about our reputation, we can reframe it. We’ll say that the Cloud Sect has suffered a great calamity, and our internal disciple registry has been lost. To prevent opportunists from taking advantage of the situation, we will no longer accept anyone claiming to be a Cloud Sect disciple.”

Elder Nishang’s long absence from the sect made it understandable that she wouldn’t recognize those disciples.

As the Chief Disciple, Jiang Minghuan might be expected to know them, but given the original host’s arrogant personality, he likely hadn’t bothered to remember them either.

Elder Nishang sighed inwardly. It was just a more elegant way of saying the same thing. Still, it made it clear that Jiang Minghuan was determined not to rescue those disciples.

Well, I suppose I’ll do as the Sect Leader instructed.

After finishing his explanation, Jiang Minghuan clasped his hands respectfully to Elder Nishang. “We entrust everything to you, Elder. When we return, we’ll give you a vacation.”

Elder Nishang couldn’t help but chuckle. “It’s nothing. Go now, and be careful. If it becomes too dangerous, prioritize your own safety.”

Then, realizing her words might have sounded too casual, she cleared her throat and added, “The Cloud Sect cannot afford to lose another Sect Leader.”

Jiang Minghuan nodded solemnly, understanding the unspoken implication: If it comes down to it, don’t bother saving Yun Ning.

This doesn’t feel right, Jiang Minghuan thought. Yun Ning is the protagonist. Even if he wasn’t universally beloved in the original story, he still had decent connections. Why is everyone so indifferent about his life now? Even Jiang Zhou…

If Jiang Zhou truly cared about him, he wouldn’t have fled to the Sword Pavilion for help first. After all, despite being an Independent Cultivator, Jiang Zhou had friends all over the realm. A single message could have summoned reinforcements.

Even if Jiang Minghuan had immediately thought to seek help from Pei Jingyuan, he could have simply sent a message to the Sword Pavilion. In reality, coming in person was no more effective than sending a message. If Pei Jingyuan was willing to go, he would have gone even if contacted by letter. If he wasn’t willing, he wouldn’t go even if Jiang Minghuan came in person.

Upon reflection, this made sense. Yun Ning wasn’t universally liked; he wasn’t a Dao Essence Stone. If everyone liked him, there wouldn’t be so many twists and turns, and there wouldn’t be a story to tell.

After bidding farewell to Elder Nishang, Pei Jingyuan casually tossed a palm-sized boat into the air. The Azure Jade Boat, made entirely of azure jade, floated gracefully in the air, its beauty striking.

Jiang Minghuan stepped onto the boat and circled it, remarking, “You certainly have a wealth of treasures, don’t you?”

In modern terms, the Azure Jade Boat was a dual-purpose vehicle for both water and land travel.

Pei Jingyuan stated bluntly, “It’s a gift.”

Jiang Minghuan jumped in surprise, waving his hands frantically. “No, no, no! I can’t accept it.”

‘Was Pei Jingyuan this generous in the original story? I don’t think so. The author even included a plot point to show that Pei Jingyuan’s love for Yun Ning wasn’t as deep as Jiang Zhou’s.’

‘Jiang Zhou would give Yun Ning anything he wanted, even anticipating his needs before he voiced them. Pei Jingyuan, on the other hand, never gave Yun Ning anything, even when Yun Ning clearly showed interest.’

‘It’s not really Pei Jingyuan’s fault. Yun Ning’s personality is such that even if he likes something, he’d never say it outright. He’d only give roundabout hints. If you understood them, you might give it to him; if not, well, that’s that.’

Listening to the plot-related conversation, Pei Jingyuan released a tea table and chair with a scoff. Even if Yun Ning only gave hints, he’d still understand them perfectly well.

Whether he gave something or not depended entirely on his intentions. Even a casual remark like Jiang Minghuan’s earlier had prompted him to offer a gift. If he didn’t respond to hints, it would only mean he didn’t want to give it.

Jiang Minghuan sat down, watching Pei Jingyuan methodically prepare the tea. He found it a little odd.

‘It feels like Pei Jingyuan hasn’t been rushing to cultivate lately.’

‘Strange. Has he really changed?’

Pei Jingyuan handed him a cup. “Try this.”

Jiang Minghuan accepted the cup and gulped it down without ceremony. As soon as the tea touched his tongue, he detected a unique fragrance.

He asked, surprised, “What’s added to this Mystic Bamboo Tea? It tastes different from before.”

Pei Jingyuan shook his head. “Nothing’s added. I just used Water of the Boundless to brew it.”

Jiang Minghuan gasped sharply. Water of the Boundless!

This substance was incredibly precious—so precious that in auction houses, it was sold by the drop.

Jiang Minghuan knew because in the story, to demonstrate Jiang Zhou’s immense wealth, he had bought Yun Ning ten full drops of Water of the Boundless, spending nearly a million Dao Essence Stones.

And now Pei Jingyuan was using Water of the Boundless to brew tea. That single sip he just took… how many Dao Essence Stones worth of value had he just consumed?

Pei Jingyuan calmly refilled his cup without batting an eyelid.

Jiang Minghuan stared at him in shock. “Is this… the same Water of the Boundless I know?”

Could it just be a coincidence with the same name?

But in the Cultivation World, such coincidences were rare, especially with precious materials. Naming conflicts could mislead cultivators, so they were generally avoided.

“If you haven’t heard of Water of the Boundless anywhere else,” Pei Jingyuan said, “then this is it.”

Jiang Minghuan immediately set down his teacup as if it had burned him.

Pei Jingyuan feigned confusion. “What’s wrong? Don’t you like it?”

Jiang Minghuan shook his head quickly. “No, it’s just… too extravagant. I’m not injured or experiencing qi deviation. I don’t need Water of the Boundless.”

The Water of the Boundless was prized for its ability to heal soul damage and purge Demonic Qi from the body, excepting Demon Cultivators.

As this realization struck him, Jiang Minghuan suddenly understood that Pei Jingyuan might have been relying on the Water of the Boundless to suppress his Heart Demon all along. It all made sense now.

Pei Jingyuan took a sip of tea and said, “Even if my body is fine, why can’t I drink it?”

Jiang Minghuan couldn’t help but mutter, “That’s just too extravagant.”

Pei Jingyuan replied with a tone of arrogant wealth, “It’s not that expensive.”

‘Spendthrift! How many Dao Essence Stones does the Sword Pavilion of the Years have to squander like this? Weren’t those stones painstakingly earned by everyone in the pavilion?’

‘They say those who build their wealth from scratch understand the value of money best. How come that doesn’t apply to Pei Jingyuan?’

‘A single pot of this tea would cost tens of millions of Dao Essence Stones. How much spiritual rice and spirit wheat would I have to grow just to break even?’

Meeting Jiang Minghuan’s pained gaze, Pei Jingyuan suppressed a smile and decided to stop teasing him. “Don’t worry,” he said. “All the circulating Water of the Boundless in the Cultivation World now originates from me.”

Jiang Minghuan’s eyes widened in shock. “Ah? The Water of the Boundless… you’re the one selling it?”

Pei Jingyuan nodded slightly. “Exactly. I have ample supplies here, so you needn’t fret.”

Jiang Minghuan was momentarily torn between marveling at the sheer quantity of treasures in Pei Jingyuan’s possession and cursing the author for not providing more details.

He picked up his teacup and took a sip, then said, “Who… who’s being stingy? I just think we should make the most of what we have.”

Unable to resist asking, he added, “So where did this thing come from?”

Before Pei Jingyuan could answer, he quickly added, “You don’t have to say if it’s confidential. I’m just curious.”

Pei Jingyuan didn’t withhold the information. “The Water of the Boundless is a magical artifact, just like the Immortal Spring. I obtained both from the Dragon Clan Secret Realm.”

After hearing this, Jiang Minghuan found himself suddenly filled with longing for the Dragon Clan Secret Realm.

‘Who knows how many treasures are hidden there? Pei Jingyuan definitely didn’t just take the Immortal Spring and the Water of the Boundless.’

‘Now that I think about it, Yun Ning and Jiang Zhou’s relentless pursuit to destroy him might be less about personal grudges and more about coveting his treasures.’

Although the author tries to pit Pei Jingyuan against Jiang Zhou, Yun Ning and Jiang Zhou have likely received quite a lot from Pei Jingyuan to gain that initial advantage.

‘Ah, I wish I could go to the Dragon Clan Secret Realm too… Wait, no. It’s probably too dangerous. Forget it. Any place Pei Jingyuan has been to is probably already stripped clean.’

Pei Jingyuan, “….”

He hadn’t gone overboard, though he had indeed acquired quite a few valuable items. But how could he possibly take everything the Dragon Clan had accumulated over tens of thousands of years?

He had initially thought Jiang Minghuan was finally showing some ambition, even if it was just for the treasures of the Dragon Clan Secret Realm. Who in the Cultivation World wouldn’t covet such treasures?

But before he could say anything, Jiang Minghuan himself backed down.

Pei Jingyuan realized he had grown somewhat accustomed to this version of Jiang Minghuan, and he no longer felt the urge to force him into the Dragon Clan Secret Realm.

As he pondered this, he suddenly sensed something amiss. After closing his eyes and focusing for a moment, he turned to Jiang Minghuan and said, “Go inside the cabin. We’re about to accelerate to full speed.”

Jiang Minghuan, who was drinking tea, looked surprised. “Huh?”

He had just set down his teacup when the Azure Jade Boat shot forward like an arrow released from a bow.

Jiang Minghuan was pressed back against the chair. It was no exaggeration to say that he felt a sudden, forceful acceleration.

He fumbled to set down his teacup and asked, “What’s going on? Why are we suddenly moving like this? Did our enemies catch up to us?”

Pei Jingyuan replied concisely, “Master Chaoshe and Monk Mojing are looking for us.”

Jiang Minghuan froze. “What now? Is there a problem with the spiritual rice or Spirit Wheat?”

Pei Jingyuan shook his head. “They must have learned about your succession as Sect Leader.”

Jiang Minghuan immediately understood. He chuckled, “Good. At least they can’t ask me to become a monk now, right?”

If this was the reason, it explained why Abbot Chaoshe and Monk Mojing were so anxious.

Well… let them worry. I’m definitely not becoming a monk.

‘Huh? When Pei Jingyuan so readily agreed to my succession as Sect Leader, did he already consider this possibility?’

‘He probably didn’t think that far ahead. But then again, he’s always been adept at planning and making decisive judgments. Who knows?’

As Jiang Minghuan pondered this, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he faintly heard Abbot Chaoshe’s booming voice in the distance.

The content… well, it sounded like he was cursing Pei Jingyuan.

Pei Jingyuan stood up and offered Jiang Minghuan his hand. “Let’s go back to the cabin. We’ll reach The Water of the Heavenly River soon, and there’s nothing much to see out here anyway.”

Jiang Minghuan agreed. The wind was indeed quite strong outside, even with the Azure Jade Boat’s protective formation dampening its force.

He took Pei Jingyuan’s hand and started walking back inside. Mid-step, he suddenly realized something… There’s no one else here. Why are we even holding hands?