Two Realms Shuttle Gate: Don t Call Me a Demon!

Chapter 281: Chapter 196: 100,000 Spirit Stones (50,000 words in five updates, asking for monthly passes)

Su Jie’s choice surprised Zhang Junwei, who had just been so excited and now appeared so calm.

“Su Jie, make sure you think this through. My offer isn’t always on the table. Once this opportunity is missed, there won’t be another,” he emphasized, perhaps genuinely valuing Su Jie’s talent.

“Thank you for your generous offer, Sect Master, but I prefer to remain with my Master,” Su Jie still chose to refuse, making Taoist Qiu very happy. His look became increasingly benevolent as he contentedly sipped his tea.

Zhang Junwei fell silent for a few seconds, staring at Su Jie as if he could see through to a person’s very soul. Suddenly, he added a new twist, “Become my disciple, and I will give you thirty thousand Spirit Stones at once, and an additional one thousand Spirit Stones each month as a stipend.”

Su Jie’s expression subtly changed as his heart began to beat faster.

Pfft!

Taoist Qiu, who had been relaxed until now, almost sprayed out a mouthful of tea, furiously staring at Zhang Junwei for shamelessly throwing money around to compete for a disciple.

“Sect Master, aren’t you afraid of being ridiculed for doing this?”

Taoist Qiu was furious, and had the person in front of him not been the Sect Master, he would have slapped him already.

Tang Peiqing also felt speechless and said, “Sect Master, what you are doing is really indecent.”

Zhang Junwei’s expression remained unchanged as he spoke somberly, “I have been a Sect Master for so many years and have taken only two Direct Disciples. One died unexpectedly early, and the other disappeared after reaching the Secret Realm. In my lifetime, the knowledge I’ve accumulated needs a disciple to carry on. Are you really willing to see me without even a successor to inherit my mantle?”

Taoist Qiu originally wanted to say he was indeed willing, but seeing Zhang Junwei’s menacing look, he had to suppress his words, his dissatisfaction peaking as he resentfully regarded Zhang Junwei, a Sect Master who would stop at nothing to recruit a super-genius.

If he had known it would come to this, he wouldn’t have let Su Jie perform so brilliantly.

But Su Jie was a disciple he valued highly—strong, sensible, well-measured, and highly respectful of him, his Master. There was no way he could let him go.

Right away, Taoist Qiu put down his teacup and stood up, saying, “Sect Master, since you’ve said as much, I, Taoist Qiu, am not without resources either.

He is my disciple, and I care about him more than anyone else. It just so happens, Su Jie, didn’t you suffer heavy losses on this mission? The Insect Cloud Moths were greatly reduced, and the Swords in your Sword Nourishing Gourd were completely exhausted. I’ll give you fifty thousand Spirit Stones. Go and replenish what you’ve lost. Buy a few more Mid-Grade Flying Swords so in future battles your swords don’t always get chopped up, tarnishing my face.”

Su Jie’s eyes lit up, and he quickly said, “Disciple is grateful, Master. You needn’t go to such lengths.”

But in his heart, Su Jie was screaming for the bidding to become even more intense.

Now, Su Jie finally realized what it was like to be a high-achieving student at Blue Star, vied for by top schools.

Zhang Junwei’s mouth twitched at Taoist Qiu’s guts to compete financially with him, the Sect Master.

But indeed, Taoist Qiu’s seniority was only slightly less than that of Tang Peiqing. He had been in the Secret Realm for many years and wasn’t a newly promoted, impoverished practitioner without even a Mid Grade Magical Artifact.

“Seventy thousand Spirit Stones!”

Zhang Junwei also put down his teacup. Although he was the Sect Master, in front of a senior Secret Realm practitioner like Taoist Qiu, he couldn’t just forcibly take a disciple and assign him to his own name. He had to let Su Jie make his own choice, which meant others wouldn’t have much to say on the matter.

Su Jie felt parched, and his heart raced even faster.

Such a price was already about the wealth of a Secret Realm practitioner, albeit one with weaker combat abilities.

For instance, Zhong Shiguan. The value of various spirit stones and materials that Su Jie had acquired from Zhong Shiguan’s Storage Bag amounted to seventy thousand Spirit Stones.

“Hey, you two are really overdoing it; what’s the point of all this arguing? Give me some face.”

Elder Tang couldn’t stand it anymore, and suddenly spoke up, smiling amiably at Su Jie, “Su Jie! I heard that the Guan Chao Pavilion outside offered you a reward of a hundred thousand spirit stones, and I’m not one to be petty.

As long as you agree to become my disciple, I’ll give you that price.

Otherwise, those from the Righteous Sect might think we at the Ghost Ridge Palace treat our disciples poorly.

It would also save Taoist Qiu and the Sect Master the trouble of arguing back and forth, losing face for our Ghost Ridge Palace.”

Upon hearing this, Taoist Qiu and Zhang Junwei both turned their gaze toward him, thinking he was the peak of shamelessness!

“Elder Tang, why are you getting involved too? Didn’t you just recruit Zhu Qingya, who also has the talent of the Secret Realm? And now you’re competing with me for a disciple.”

Taoist Qiu was furious! It seems everyone is eyeing the good disciple he had finally found. If they were capable, they should cultivate their own!

“That’s not right; who would complain about having too many disciples?”

Elder Tang shook his head, feeling no psychological burden about outbidding the others.

A single Secret Realm talent represents a guaranteed value of over a hundred thousand spirit stones.

Not to mention Su Jie, who clearly has the makings of a strong Secret Realm cultivator and might even advance to the Taoist Platform Realm one day. Which master wouldn’t be greedy for such a disciple?

“I’ve offered a hundred thousand spirit stones. If you compete with me, let’s just all stop playing around. I’ll go issue a blood post and complain to the ancestor.”

Taoist Qiu’s slaps on the table made a loud bang, and his face turned beet red.

The moment they heard the word ‘ancestor,’ Zhang Junwei and Elder Tang instantly calmed down, as if the term had a significant deterrent effect.

Su Jie was curious about who this ancestor was, wondering if there was a presence in Ghost Ridge Palace stronger than the Sect Master.

But given the situation, it wasn’t his place to ask questions.

“Fine, Taoist Qiu, you need to take good care of Su Jie in the future, and make sure you don’t misguide such a talent of our sect. Su Jie, if you have any questions about cultivation, you can come to me for advice.”

Zhang Junwei shook his head, ultimately giving up the competition.

“Heh, Taoist Qiu, don’t spoil the disciple. Be more attentive daily.”

Elder Tang also felt a bit regretful, choosing to give up.

“You don’t need your nonsense; I can definitely teach my disciple well.”

Taoist Qiu was still angry at these two fools, and his tone was unfriendly.

“Master, please don’t be angry. I’ve always firmly chosen you as my master. The Sect Master and Elder Tang are just worried about me; please don’t blame them.”

At that moment, Su Jie stepped forward. Even though he was overjoyed inside, his face showed a tragically earnest expression, giving a speech that could rival any cliche.@@novelbin@@

If those disciples from Ghost Ridge Palace saw this scene, their jaws would probably drop.

Usually, it is the disciples who are picked and chosen by the masters and elders, often facing disdain. Outer disciples even have to submit Blood Marrow Crystals to their masters monthly, and Inner Disciples receive limited guidance.

For someone like Su Jie, being competed for by several elders and the Sect Master, others would probably think of it as nothing but a fanciful tale.