Chapter 168: Maximizing Gains

Qian Sanjiang only dared to joke around like this because he knew that Yin Shengong was in perhaps the best mood of his life.

Sure enough, his reaction was one of amusement rather than anger. "Piss off! This is an offering from my disciple, what does it have to do with you two?"

He then turned back to Fang Che as he relented, "I'll take one, but you have to keep the remaining two. Make sure you don't squander them! Take one when you reach the Emperor tier and the other one when you reach the Sovereign tier, and your foundation will be well established. Make sure to not consume them before then as it would be too much of a waste. Also, don't give them to anyone, not even Sun Yuan! Do you hear me?"

A hesitant look appeared on Fang Che's face.

"Don't give any to Sun Yuan! I'm serious!" Yin Shengong reemphasized. "Sun Yuan has just made a breakthrough from divine power injection, and he must consolidate his cultivation base. At the very least, he cannot take a Dao Realm Spirit Pill within five years. Otherwise, it will only have a detrimental effect."

"Spirit pills aren't lollies! Even for myself, I have to take care of Ren Zhongyuan to ensure that I have nothing on my plate, then go into seclusion for some time to reach the calmest mental state possible before I take the pill. You have to make sure to do the same when the time comes!"

"Yes, Master."

Fang Che quickly tipped a Dao Realm Spirit Pill into a separate vial before offering it up to Yin Shengong with both hands.

"You should also have some of these Cloud Spirit Pills too."

"No! Like I said, I'm not taking anything else from you!" Yin Shengong refused in a stern manner.

"In that case, take two back for Uncle-master Mu. He's still recovering from his injuries, so these pills will be perfect for him!"

Qian Sanjiang and Hou Fang were ecstatic to hear this.

They were also his uncle-masters, just like Mu Linyuan, so it was safe for them to assume that they would receive the same treatment from Fang Che in their times of need.

This was a proposal that Yin Shengong was unable to turn down, but he still insisted on a compromise.

"One pill will suffice for Elder Mu."

He tipped a single pill into an empty vial for himself as he spoke, then continued, "Put the rest away. If you try to offer them to me again, I'll break both your legs!"

Fang Che obliged, stowing away the vials of pills.

At the moment, he had a saber and three swords on his back, giving him a rather foolish appearance.

Even Yin Shengong found his collection rather amusing, and he asked, "What do you plan to do with these weapons?"

Fang Che thought about it for a moment, then replied, "I don't have any friends in our church, but I do have a cousin and a few good friends from second and third-tier clans at White Cloud Warrior Academy. I was thinking that I could perhaps present these weapons to them as gifts in order to make some connections."

Yin Shengong nodded as he replied, "Weapons of this caliber wouldn't be too difficult to access in second and third-tier clans, but even for prodigies from those clans, they're usually not entitled to everything that their clans have to offer before reaching a certain cultivation base.

“Given their current cultivation bases, these weapons will most definitely suffice. These clans appear very harmonious on the surface, but in reality, they're very cold-blooded and often treat their prodigies like investments."

"I've never heard of that before."

"Of course you don't know anything! You're still just a kid!" Yin Shengong scoffed. "These major clans wouldn't be able to hold onto their prominence for long if they weren't so cold-blooded. Even for direct lineal descendants, resource allocations are made based on aptitude and future potential.

“Once they've all reached a certain cultivation base, the hierarchy will have become very clear, and almost all of the best resources will be allocated to a small handful of the brightest prospects. As for the others, they'll still get to live out their lives without any materialistic concerns, but they're basically just sitting around and waiting to die.

“In truly powerful clans, everyone is treated like a tool. That is the key to their survival. For example, if you kill a direct lineal descendant of a major clan, but that descendant has already been deemed a bottom-dweller, while you could be of use to the clan, not only would they not come after you for vengeance, they'll use this as an opportunity to try and befriend you!

Your victim was useless in the eyes of their clan anyway, but if their death can win the clan a powerful future ally, then they'll have at least been somewhat useful, albeit in death. However, if you kill one of their foremost prodigies, you can expect to be hunted to even the most obscure corners of this world! These major clans will use anything to their advantage, even bloodline ties and so-called familial bonds!"

Yin Shengong had become rather worked up while speaking on this topic, as if it had invoked some painful memories.

Meanwhile, Qian Sanjiang and Hou Fang had both become very quiet, and it was clear that there was a story to be told here.

However, it wasn't in Fang Che's place to pry into such matters.

Thankfully, Yin Shengong seemed to have finally gotten all of his frustrations out of his system, and he concluded, "In any case, those weapons are yours to do with as you please. You can give them to your friends at the warrior academy if you want. You're always thinking about making contributions to the Protectionists anyway."

Qian Sanjiang and Hou Fang burst into laughter upon hearing this.

"I did all of that under your instructions, Master!" Fang Che hurriedly protested. "You make me sound like a spy from the Protectionists!"

"Is that not the case?" Yin Shengong harrumphed.

"I suppose I have made far more contributions for the Protectionists than our One Heart Church," Fang Che admitted with a bashful smile. "When can I come back to our One Heart Church, Master?"

"Why do you want to come back? Have you encountered some difficulties?"

A conflicted look appeared on Fang Che's face as he said, "For a start, the academy has always been suspicious of me, so I often feel like I'm being unfairly targeted. On top of that, I've begun to grow rather attached to my friends there. Sometimes, I don't even feel like a demonic church member anymore."

"That's the ideal state to be in for an undercover agent! Of course you have to make yourself appear like a figure of justice if you want to fit in over there! And besides, how are you being unfairly targeted? Their suspicions about you are all correct!"

"Still, I can't help but feel conflicted. I feel like if I have to kill my friends someday, I won't be able to do it."

"You're a fool!" Yin Shengong scolded. "Do you think they'll have the same reservations if they find out who you are someday? They'd kill you without any hesitation!"

"Don't be so harsh on him, Pope Yin," Hou Fang interjected. "It's a good thing that Night Demon cherishes those around him so much. Otherwise, he wouldn't be so devoted to you. We just have to patiently educate him so he doesn't stray down any wrong paths."

Yin Shengong decided that Hou Fang was right, so he composed himself and said to Fang Che in a meaningful and heartfelt manner, "You have to remember at all times that you walk a different path from that of your friends. I know it can be hard, but it's simply the reality."

Fang Che was saying this to Yin Shengong to give himself a justification for getting cold should he ever be in a situation where he had to kill one of his friends.

This was the best time to say something like this as he was very much in Yin Shengong's good graces.

In fact, he knew that the more sentimental and loyal to those around him he made himself appear, the fonder Yin Shengong would be of him.

Even though he had just given out two very precious pills, he felt it to be a worthwhile investment.

Yin Shengong was fonder of him that he had ever been, and those two pills were the icing on top.

While Yin Shengong had tried to turn down the pills, if he hadn't offered them at all, then that would've been likely to evoke displeasure from Yin Shengong, such was the strange complexion of human nature.

It was the classic tale of "I can not want it, but you can't not offer it."

If Fang Che had kept those pills to himself without a world, that would've been sure paint him in a negative light in Yin Shengong's eyes, and if the latter were to make a breakthrough or go into seclusion someday, he would immediately think of the pills in Fang Che's possession.

Once that time came, he would have to hand over the pills anyway, but it would be under orders, and it wouldn't earn him any favor with Yin Shengong.

Hence, Fang Che decided to hand over the pills right away, seizing the initiative to further improve Yin Shengong's image of him, as opposed to having to passively surrender the pills in the future.

When it came to currying favor, slow and steady was not the way to go. Instead, maximizing the amount of favor that could be curried in one go was always the superior option.

"Where should we go now?" Qian Sanjiang asked.

"Let's return straight to the One Heart Church!" Yin Shengong declared with a smile as a glint of killing intent flashed through his eyes.

It was time to annihilate Ren Zhongyuan's forces.

"Master, I want to go to the capital," Fang Che requested.

"Why?"

"The World Academy Tournament is taking place in Celestial Being Warrior Academy in the capital. I want to go and show them what they missed out on by ostracizing me and prohibiting me from participating in the tournament!"