The Appraisal Team didn’t just unload the cargo; they flooded the plaza.

At a signal from Steward Long, dozens of storage rings flashed in unison. The air above the central plaza warped under the sheer mass of the displacement, and then, the loot rained down. It wasn’t a figure of speech. A literal mountain of demon beast corpses, rare ores, and spirit herbs crashed onto the stone pavement, the pile rising until it cast a long shadow over the gathered disciples.

A thick, metallic scent of blood permeated the air, but to the cultivators of the Qingyun Sect, it didn’t smell like slaughter. It smelled like opportunity.

The disciples crowded the edges of the plaza, their necks craning to assess the inventory. The sheer volume of high-grade assets was enough to induce vertigo.

“Look at that! Second-Rank Scarlet Spirit Beasts!” a disciple shouted, pointing at a heap of crimson scales. “Just one of those scales trades for ten Spirit Stones. There must be a hundred carcasses in that pile alone.”

“And Three-Eyed Tigers,” another whispered, his voice trembling. “Bones, blood, eyes—the whole carcass is a refining material. That’s a fortune.”

“Gale Unicorn Wolves… over a thousand of them,” a senior disciple noted, doing mental calculations. “The horns are critical components for wind-attribute Spirit Artifacts. We’ve secured a massive supply.”

The inventory list grew longer as sharp-eyed disciples spotted more exotic assets: Flame Soaring Eagles, Thunder Swift Sparrows, Mighty Apes. It was a graveyard of high-value targets.

Then came the botanical assets.

“Tier-1 Spirit Gathering Grass… tons of it. The Alchemy Hall won’t run out of raw materials for a decade.”

“Snow Spirit Fruits!” A gasp rippled through the crowd. “Those are the primary reactant for Foundation Establishment Pills. I count at least a thousand. That’s insane.”

“Purple Iron Ore, Scarlet Essence Stone, Thousand-Year Wood Heart…”

The crowd buzzed with the frenetic energy of a festival. But no group was more agitated than the members of the Miscellaneous Arts Hall—the sect’s Artificers and Alchemists.

The alchemists, blacksmiths, and talisman makers stared at the mountain of resources with eyes shining like wolves looking at a flock of sheep. In the cultivation world, skill was bottlenecked by resources. You couldn’t practice refining high-tier artifacts if you couldn’t afford the metal.

Patriarch Qingxuan stepped forward, his voice booming over the noise.

“Do you see this? This is the yield of the Myriad Demon Forest. The era of scarcity is over. Our foundation is solid. Your only job now is to convert these raw assets into personal power.”

He turned to Sun Yi. “Sect Leader, how do you wish to allocate the resources?”

Sun Yi stepped up to the podium. He adjusted his sleeves, channeling the energy of a CEO announcing a massive pivot in corporate strategy.

“Disciples of the Miscellaneous Arts Hall, listen closely,” Sun Yi projected his voice, crisp and authoritative. “Effective immediately, the caps on material consumption are removed. You have unlimited access to these resources to hone your Dao.”

A hush fell over the crowd. Unlimited access?

“However,” Sun Yi added, raising a finger. “There are conditions. First, all finished products—pills, artifacts, talismans—belong to the Sect. You are refining for the Sect, not for your personal pockets. Second, I am implementing a Dao of Efficiency. Do not waste the sect’s blood and sweat without results.”

The silence held for a heartbeat, and then the Miscellaneous Arts Hall erupted.

“Long live the Sect Leader!”

“Unlimited materials? I can finally attempt the Second-Rank promotion trial!”

“My alchemy skill is going to soar! I’ll be refining pills by the furnace-load!”

The craftsmen looked at the mountain of gore and herbs with a lust usually reserved for rare scriptures. To them, this wasn’t just a pile of dead animals; it was the path to mastery.

Sun Yi waited for the cheering to subside before raising his hand for silence. His expression turned serious.

“Now, for the next decree. Sect Security.”

He scanned the faces below.

“For the next twelve months, the Qingyun Sect is entering a full Mountain Seal. No one leaves. No communication with the outside world. We are going silent.”

The crowd murmured, but the logic was sound. Sun Yi knew that holding 500 million points worth of liquid assets made them a target. The Chaos Demon Commandery was a lawless place, and their local competitors—Black Wind Stockade and Evil Spirit Valley—were hostile entities.

We need a year of stealth mode, Sun Yi thought. Let the competitors think we’re dormant while we reinvest this capital into R&D and workforce upgrades.

Black Wind Stockade and Evil Spirit Valley were not just rivals; they were liabilities. They practiced ‘blood sacrifice’ cultivation—inefficient, messy, and ethically bankrupt. They were also the prime suspects for the assassination attempt on Sun Yi’s predecessor (and Sun Yi himself).

I’ll acquire them eventually, Sun Yi mused. Hostile takeovers are my specialty. But first, we need to shore up our internal valuation.

“The Mountain Seal is non-negotiable,” Sun Yi continued. “But to ensure this year of isolation is productive, I am rolling out a new Disciple Support Decree.”

He paused, letting the anticipation build.

“First: The Sect Vault is slashing prices. All resource exchanges are now 50% off.”

Gasps of disbelief rang out.

“Second: To assist with cultivation, the Sect is launching a Spirit Advance System. You can borrow contribution points against your future merit to buy resources today.”

“Third: Destiny Rewards. Anyone who breaks through a major cultivation stage in the next year receives a direct Spirit Stone Bounty.”

“This is your window of opportunity,” Sun Yi finished, his voice ringing with conviction. “Seize this fortune. Invest in yourselves. By the time we reopen the gates, I expect you all to be ready to harvest the Myriad Demon Forest on your own terms.”

The plaza didn’t just cheer; it detonated.

“Half price?! I can finally afford a spirit weapon!”

“Advances? I can borrow points to buy pills, break through, and pay it back with the strength of a higher realm? That’s genius!”

“The Sect Leader is merciful! The Dao is with us!”

Every policy Sun Yi listed struck the hearts of the disciples like a heavy drumbeat. He wasn’t just giving them handouts; he was giving them the means to defy the heavens. The applause was earth-shaking, a prolonged roar of approval that echoed off the mountains.

Sun Yi turned back to the Patriarch. “Ancestor, does the Board approve?”

Qingxuan smiled faintly, looking at the fervor in the disciples’ eyes. “You are the Sect Leader, Sun Yi. You steer the ship.”

Privately, the Patriarch’s thoughts were darker. Elder Jin Jue had just briefed him via telepathy regarding the assassination attempt on Sun Yi that had occurred within the sect walls prior to the expedition.

Qingxuan’s face remained calm, but the air around him grew colder. He looked at the celebrating disciples, his eyes narrowing. Someone tried to kill my chosen heir?

For the first time in centuries, the Golden Core Elders felt a spike of genuine, terrifying killing intent from their Ancestor. The Qingyun Sect was rising, and anyone who tried to stop it was going to pay with their life.

Chapter 45: A Shocking Plan

Sun Yi didn’t waste time basking in the applause. He turned to the Elders, firing off instructions with the precision of a COO managing a logistical crisis.

“Elder Qin,” he said, addressing the head of Internal Affairs. “Mobilize your department immediately. Inventory everything. Categorize assets by tier and value. Once the counting is complete, report to the Central Hall.”

“Understood,” Qin Chu nodded, already pulling out a jade slip to draft orders.

Sun Yi pivoted to Elder Ye Luo. “The Refining Hall is your priority. Tell the Miscellaneous Arts Hall to start requisitioning materials now. I want a full skill upgrade across the board. In one year, our manufacturing capability needs to be unrecognizable. If they hit their targets, authorize spirit bounties. Meet me at the Central Hall when you’re done.”

“Consider it done.”

“Elder Jin Jue,” Sun Yi continued, his voice dropping an octave. “You handle security. Initiate the Mountain Seal protocols. Full perimeter barrier. No signal leakage, no unauthorized exits. If a fly leaves this mountain, I want to know about it. Then, join us.”

“Elder Li Tai, get External Affairs to compile a comprehensive dossier on our enemies—Black Wind Stockade and Evil Spirit Valley. I want their troop numbers, spirit stone veins, and known weaknesses. The faster, the better.”

“Elder Han Yun,” Sun Yi finished, looking at the head of the Transmission Hall. “Internal training. Set up a mentorship program. High-level disciples will tutor the juniors. Incentivize it with Points. We need to raise the average cultivation level of the entire sect. Go.”

The five Golden Core Elders departed instantly, moving with a newfound urgency. There was no hesitation, no debate. They were simply executing the Sect Leader’s vision.

Patriarch Qingxuan watched them leave, a look of profound satisfaction on his face.

“Kid,” Qingxuan chuckled. “You’ve done good work. Jin Jue and the others aren’t just following orders anymore; they’re believers.”

“It’s just business,” Sun Yi said, waving a hand. “They respect the results, not me.”

“Don’t be modest. Now, what’s the next phase? Why the dramatic assembly at the Central Hall?”

“Trade secret,” Sun Yi grinned. “I need the full Board present before I reveal the Grand Strategy.”

“Fine. Keep your secrets. I’ll be waiting.” Qingxuan vanished in a streak of light.

Sun Yi watched the empty space where the Patriarch had been. Good, he thought. The Chairman is fully on board. With the IPO success, my position is unassailable.

He messaged Er Gouzi to join him and flew toward the Central Hall.

Inside the Central Hall, the atmosphere was heavy. Patriarch Qingxuan sat on the primary throne, eyes closed, radiating a faint but terrifying sword pressure.

Sun Yi entered and took the Sect Leader’s seat without a word. He pulled out a jade slip and began reviewing the financials. Time was money.

Moments later, Er Gouzi slipped in, looking terrified by the Patriarch’s presence.

“Sit anywhere,” Sun Yi muttered without looking up.

Outside, the sect was in a frenzy.

The returning expedition members were being mobbed like heroes. Disciples surrounded them, desperate for details on the payout.

“What?! You netted 110,000 Points?” a Qi Refining disciple screamed, staring at his friend in disbelief.

“110k is standard,” the friend scoffed, basking in the attention. “Senior Brother He pulled in 310,000. He’s basically set for life.”

“Is the Myriad Demon Forest really that profitable?”

“It is,” Senior Brother He announced to the crowd. “But don’t get it twisted. Without the Sect Leader’s Spirit Plate, that forest is a meat grinder. Even Golden Core experts have a slim chance of survival. We survived because we had the divine tool and the strategy.”

He looked at the envious junior disciples. “Don’t just stand there drooling. The Sect Leader opened the treasury. 50% discount on resources! Advances! Break-through rewards! If you don’t seize this chance to ascend, you’re a fool.”

The crowd dispersed like a grenade had gone off, everyone sprinting toward the cultivation caves. The message was clear: Get strong, get rich.

Above them, the sky shimmered.

The Great Mountain Protection Formation roared to life, a translucent dome sealing the Qingyun Sect from the rest of the world. The lockdown was absolute. The sect had gone silent.

Back in the Central Hall, the five Elders filed in, taking their seats. The doors sealed shut.

Sun Yi cleared his throat.

On the throne, Patriarch Qingxuan opened his eyes. “Everyone is here. Speak.”

Sun Yi smiled, leaned forward, and dropped a thunderbolt on the table.

“We are going to eradicate the Black Wind Stockade and Evil Spirit Valley.”