Chapter 26: When It Rains, It Pours

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Lin Yi found the devastating blow almost impossible to accept.

Furious, he roared at Chen Qingshuang, “You... give me back my spirit stones!”

The scene was eerily reminiscent of Chu Linger’s earlier fit of rage.

Chen Qingshuang let out a cold laugh. “You really are a match made in heaven—a pair of shameless lovers. You’re exactly alike.”

Just then, the voice-transmitting jade pendant at Lin Yi’s waist suddenly stirred.

Chu Linger’s voice echoed in his mind. “Senior Brother Lin Yi, come back quickly!”

“I’ve managed to gather another five million spirit stones. We’re only five million short now.”

“You have eight million on you. Added together, that’s more than enough!”

“When the time comes, all you need to do is hand them over, and we can stay together forever. The crisis facing the Cold Spirit Sect will be resolved as well!”

Her words filled Lin Yi with even deeper regret over his actions.

If he had not insisted on currying favor with someone above his station, things would never have reached this point.

He could neither defeat Chen Qingshuang nor rely on any powerful background.

Getting those spirit stones back now was nothing short of a pipe dream.

There was no point in staying here any longer. He could only return to the sect first and see what happened.

Before leaving, however, he did not forget to issue a threat: “Just you wait! I’ll make you pay a terrible price!”

Chen Qingshuang had heard threats like that countless times and paid him no heed.

As the saintess of the Heavenly Sword Sect, she had yet to meet anyone who dared lay a finger on her.

Afterward, Chen Qingshuang took the storage bag containing eight million spirit stones to Ye Fan’s room.

“Brother Ye Fan, look what this is!”

“That pretty boy of Chu Linger’s has finally returned everything he owed you all these years!”

“A full eight million spirit stones!”

“These aren’t the betrothal gifts you asked for. They’re what he personally owed you!”

Ye Fan looked at Chen Qingshuang in surprise. He had only intended to reclaim the betrothal gifts; he had never expected her to go out of her way to cause trouble for Lin Yi.

At the same time, he was astonished that Lin Yi had been able to produce eight million spirit stones.

The entire Cold Spirit Sect might not even be able to gather that much. How had an ordinary disciple managed to obtain such a fortune?

Regardless, this was an unexpected windfall.

“Qingshuang, I understand now why you insisted on staying here. You must have been waiting for this opportunity!”

Chen Qingshuang nodded obediently. “I only wanted to try my luck. I never imagined I would actually find it!”

Ye Fan no longer knew how to thank her. Eight million spirit stones meant nothing in his eyes, but what mattered was the thought behind her gift.

She had already helped him so much during this period that he was beginning to feel embarrassed.

“You’ve helped me again this time...”

“Hey! There you go again. I told you, you don’t need to be polite with me!”

“If you say things like that again, I’m not speaking to you!”

“Oh, right! Brother Ye Fan, the day you mentioned for collecting the debt should be coming soon, shouldn’t it?”

Ye Fan nodded. “That’s right. It’s time for us to set out!”

...

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The Cold Spirit Sect.

“Father! Senior Brother Lin Yi is back!”

“He hasn’t disappointed you. He’s gathered all the spirit stones!”

The moment Lin Yi returned to the sect, Chu Linger dragged him to the main hall in high spirits.

“Oh? Is that so?”

“That’s wonderful!”

“I knew I hadn’t misjudged him. Lin Yi, you truly are the pride of the heavens among the Cold Spirit Sect’s disciples!”

“No, I should say you’re my excellent son-in-law!”

Chu Zhongtian descended from the seat of honor in great excitement and threw an arm around Lin Yi.

He had no idea that Lin Yi’s heart was pounding with anxiety, while his mind raced to devise a way out of the situation.

“My good son-in-law, don’t keep the elders waiting. Hurry up and take out the spirit stones!”

Everyone present stared intently at Lin Yi. At that moment, he was the entire Cold Spirit Sect’s last hope.

“Sect Master, there’s no need to rush, is there?”

“The people from the Soaring Heaven Sect haven’t come looking for us yet.”

“If I take them out now and someone develops evil intentions...”

Chu Zhongtian cut him off at once. “You’re overthinking it, son-in-law. Everyone here is a trusted member of the Cold Spirit Sect!”

“Besides, with me here, who would dare cause trouble?”

“Take them out.”

Chu Linger chimed in from the side. “Senior Brother, hurry and take them out so everyone can celebrate. Let them see what you’re truly capable of!”

Lin Yi knew he could no longer hide the truth. Trembling, he pulled a storage bag from his waist.

Chu Linger eagerly stepped forward and snatched it from him.

As she opened the storage bag, she said excitedly, “Father, esteemed elders, feast your eyes!”

Yet when the storage bag was opened, the expected cascade of spirit stones failed to appear.

There were no spirit stones—not even a strand of hair. The entire hall instantly fell silent.

Chu Linger stared blankly at Lin Yi. “Senior Brother, did you take the wrong one?”

“I... I...”

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Lin Yi stammered for a long while, yet could not force out a single excuse.

Seeing him like that, Chu Linger immediately grew anxious. She had clearly given Lin Yi all the spirit stones obtained from selling their treasures.

Only one day had passed. Even if he had spent them, he could never have used up so much.

“Senior Brother, where are the spirit stones?”

Chu Linger questioned him again.

At that moment, Lin Yi began to laugh awkwardly. “Well... something unexpected happened at the auction house.”

“But don’t worry. Give me one more day, and I’ll definitely bring the spirit stones back!”

Chu Linger could not believe such nonsense had actually come from Lin Yi’s mouth.

Did he really take her for a three-year-old child?

What kind of minor accident could make eight million spirit stones disappear in an instant?

This time, Chu Linger finally reached the end of her patience. She seized Lin Yi by the collar.

“Lin Yi, I don’t care what excuse you have. Today, you must hand over the eight million spirit stones I gave you!”

“Do you know that they were the Cold Spirit Sect’s last hope?”

“Give me back my spirit stones!”

Only then did Chu Zhongtian understand what had happened. His face immediately darkened.

He had never imagined that his own daughter would favor an outsider and hand every spirit stone earned from the auction to that bastard Lin Yi.

Just moments ago, he had truly believed he had gained an excellent son-in-law. He had never expected to invite a wolf into his home.

Back then, he had accepted Lin Yi into the sect because he had seen a measure of talent in him.

Over the years, the Cold Spirit Sect had given Lin Yi abundant resources. In the end, all they had done was raise an ungrateful ingrate.

Distraught, Chu Zhongtian dropped heavily back into his seat, his emotions undergoing a complete reversal.

“Lin Yi, you bastard!”

“How can you face Linger? How can you face the Cold Spirit Sect?”

“Tell me! Where did you put the spirit stones? Did you swallow them for yourself?”

The elders in the hall began hurling furious abuse at Lin Yi.

Lin Yi could do nothing but remain silent and endure it.

“Ye Fan of the Soaring Heaven Sect has come to reclaim the betrothal gifts!”

Ye Fan’s voice suddenly rang out from beyond the hall.

As the saying went, misfortune never came singly. Chu Zhongtian shuddered at once.

“It’s over. It’s all over now!”