Chapter 1462: The Big Fish Eats The Small Fish

As the New Sword Sect grew increasingly prosperous, it naturally attracted the envy of many forces. Various sects began to investigate this emerging sect, and even some sixth-grade sects started to stir. For a time, the Yandang Mountains were filled with undercurrents, and the number of secretive comings and goings multiplied.

In the blink of an eye, more than a month had passed.

The New Sword Sect continued to thrive, with over a hundred disciples practicing basic sword techniques in the training grounds every morning. The sect was flourishing, completely shedding its former bandit-like aura.

As the disciples practiced their swordsmanship, a figure clad in black leisurely passed by the training grounds, humming a tune. He looked somewhat carefree and relaxed.

Despite his casual demeanor, most of the disciples respectfully greeted him.

"Greetings, Grand Protector!"

The black-clad young man casually waved his hand and continued through the archway, heading toward the main hall.

Watching this peculiar scene, some of the newly joined disciples looked puzzled and turned to their senior brothers for an explanation.

"Senior Brother, is that the legendary Grand Protector with terrifying cultivation?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, the senior brother beside him quickly turned and clasped his fists, correcting him with a respectful tone.

"Terrifying? That's an understatement!"

"The Grand Protector's cultivation is simply divine! With just a flick of his finger, none of us could withstand it!"

Hearing this, the new disciple nodded repeatedly in awe.

"So terrifying? I had no idea the Grand Protector was even more formidable than the rumors suggested. Joining the New Sword Sect was definitely the right choice!"

After a few brief exchanges, the new disciples were filled with enthusiasm and continued their rigorous training. A sense of pride was evident in their expressions, and they were brimming with energy.

For a moment, the training grounds were filled with flashing sword lights, outshining even the morning sun.

Meanwhile, the black-clad young man had already strolled into the main hall. Today was the day for distributing monthly allowances, and he was eagerly looking forward to it. Finally, he would have some money to spend on visiting the nearby brothels and enjoying some music.

However, as soon as he entered the hall, he noticed Yi Feng and the newly appointed Grand Elder looking solemn, carefully examining a name card.

Seeing this, the black-clad young man took a seat nearby and asked curiously, "What's going on? Has our New Sword Sect already run into debt?"

This Grand Protector was quite a character. Despite his profound and unfathomable cultivation, he seemed to be obsessed with money.

The Grand Elder's mouth twitched, but he didn't dare to respond.

Yi Feng slowly put down the name card and explained, "We're not in debt. With the recent influx of new disciples, the expenses for renovating the hall haven't been too high, and the sect's treasury still has some surplus. However, it seems we might be facing some trouble. This card was sent by the Golden Blade Sect, demanding that we pay a monthly tribute..."

Hearing this, the black-clad young man slammed the table in anger.

"Dream on! What kind of nonsense is this Golden Blade Sect? How dare they try to extort money from me? Do they think we're some roadside inn? They must be out of their minds!"

Yi Feng nodded, his eyes also showing a hint of anger. However, being more experienced, he didn't immediately jump to conclusions. Instead, he turned to the Grand Elder, who was standing quietly nearby, and asked, "Grand Elder, what's the background of this Golden Blade Sect? What do you think about this monthly tribute demand?"

Yi Feng knew that although he and the black-clad man were both strong, they were outsiders who had fled to this border region of the Blazing Fire Kingdom to establish a sect. They needed to tread carefully.

As the saying goes, a strong dragon cannot suppress a local snake. Since this matter concerned the future of the sect, it was best to gather as much information as possible before making any decisions.

Upon hearing Yi Feng's question, the Grand Elder quickly bowed and replied, "Reporting to the Sect Master, the Golden Blade Sect is an established sect in the Yandang Mountains area. They have long been ranked as a sixth-grade sect. Our sect's predecessor, the Dangjian Sect, was subordinate to them for generations and paid a monthly tribute of three thousand taels of silver. This has been the norm for years, and no one has ever dared to break this precedent."

"The Yandang Mountains stretch for hundreds of miles, with dozens of sects of varying sizes, several escort bureaus with branches here, and even bandits hiding in the valleys. It's a chaotic mix. Without support, ordinary sects would find it difficult to survive here. That's why most seventh-grade sects in the area are subordinate to higher-grade sects, and paying monthly tributes is quite common..."

Hearing this, Yi Feng began to understand the situation. The survival environment in the Yandang Mountains was indeed fiercely competitive. Not only did ordinary people struggle to get by, but even cultivation sects were being exploited. It was a classic case of the big fish eating the small fish, and the small fish eating the shrimp—a layered system of exploitation that had formed a food chain over the years.

However, upon learning that the Golden Blade Sect was only a sixth-grade sect, with its strongest members only at the Tai Chu realm—a level lower than Yi Feng's own cultivation—Yi Feng felt less pressured.

The black-clad young man, who had been leaning back in his seat, couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Pfft... A mere sixth-grade sect dares to demand money from me? That's like an old lady crawling into bed—it's just laughable."

While the two of them were relaxed, the Grand Elder grew increasingly anxious.

"Sect Master, Grand Protector, please think carefully! It has always been the lower-grade sects paying tributes. No one has ever dared to break this precedent. If we act impulsively and offend the other sects, the consequences could be disastrous!"

Hearing this, Yi Feng raised his hand to stop the Grand Elder.

"It's fine. I'll take full responsibility. Go and send a reply to the Golden Blade Sect, telling them that from now on, our sect will not pay any monthly tribute. If they have a problem with that, they can come and collect it themselves!"

The Grand Elder trembled upon hearing this and wanted to continue persuading Yi Feng. However, seeing the firm look in Yi Feng's eyes and the constant smile on the Grand Protector's face, he couldn't help but recall the two men's past displays of strength. He didn't dare to say more.

"Yes..."

Despite his deep concerns, the Grand Elder respectfully withdrew.

Once they were alone, the black-clad young man laughed even more heartily.

"Hahaha... Brother, your words are exactly to my liking! If they want money, they'll have to come and get it themselves! I'll make sure they learn what it means to mess with the wrong people!"

Yi Feng smiled and sat down beside the young man. With no outsiders around, he felt more at ease and spoke casually, just like when they had first met in the small courtyard years ago. This kind of relaxed conversation was much more comfortable.

Seeing the young man laugh so freely, Yi Feng felt a sense of relief.

He also smiled and shared his thoughts. "A sixth-grade sect isn't something to fear, so we don't need to worry about their monthly tribute. But this time, we need to take a firm stance. We have to let the nearby sects know that our New Sword Sect isn't someone they can push around. If they don't come, that's fine. But if they dare to show up, I'll make an example out of them. We'll use the Golden Blade Sect's reputation to establish our own authority!"

Hearing this, the black-clad young man gradually stopped laughing. He turned to look at Yi Feng, whose eyes now gleamed with determination. The young man couldn't help but nod in approval.

He spoke again, this time with a rare seriousness in his tone.

"Brother, everything you said makes sense, and I agree. How about this? Let me handle the Golden Blade Sect. After all, those scumbags are after our sect's money. As the Grand Protector of the New Sword Sect, I can't just sit back and do nothing!"

Seeing the young man's serious expression, Yi Feng felt a warm surge of emotion in his heart.

This guy, who always claimed to hate getting involved in trouble, never hesitated when it really mattered. His sense of loyalty and responsibility far surpassed that of any hypocritical noble in the secular world.

All those so-called geniuses from famous righteous sects weren't even fit to carry this brother's shoes!

Over the years, as they fled from their pursuers and finally settled here, having this brother by his side was more than enough for Yi Feng.

Yi Feng smiled and gazed at the young man for a while before responding. Slowly, he pulled out a silver note from his sleeve and handed it over, saying cheerfully, "Over the years, I've dragged you around with me. Now that we've finally settled down, take this money and go enjoy yourself for a few days."

The black-clad young man was stunned as he looked at the silver note in his hand. The amount—one hundred taels—made his heart skip a beat. It wasn't that he was afraid of owing too much, but no one had ever given him such a large sum of money before. The genuine care and gratitude in Yi Feng's words were priceless.

For a moment, the young man was at a loss for words.

He glanced at the silver note several times, then at Yi Feng, before finally asking softly, "This hundred taels... is all for me?"

Yi Feng nodded with a smile and shoved the note into the young man's hand.

"Just take a few days off. I'll handle the minor issues. Don't worry about the Golden Blade Sect. Go and have some fun. You're the Grand Protector of our New Sword Sect, after all. This monthly allowance is nothing. As our sect grows stronger, we'll have everything we want!"

Holding the silver note, the young man finally broke into a wide grin.

He hurriedly bid farewell and rushed out the door, humming a tune as he strolled away with his hands behind his back. He looked like a groom on his wedding day, radiating joy.

"It's the perfect season for spring, and the beauties in the brothels are dressed in red..."

Watching the familiar figure disappear from sight, Yi Feng also smiled with satisfaction. If he weren't so uninterested in visiting brothels, he would have loved to join his brother for a stroll...