Chapter 74: How Do You Want to Reward Me

Soldiers were in chaos on the mountain slope, horses in disorder. The scattered, fleeing powerhouses of the Incense Burning Tower were caught one by one by disciples of the Heaven's Journey Sword Sect. Each of them looked dejectedly at the sight of their Great Elder being beaten.

Zhang Shaoyou glanced around and saw that many others had not been caught and had run away. He knew it wasn't that the Heaven's Journey Sword Sect couldn't catch them; they were deliberately letting them go.

Once these people returned to their sect and talked about this battle, they truly wouldn't be able to go back… At least, he, Zhang Shaoyou, wouldn't be able to go back.

Just an hour before, no one would have thought that what appeared to be a crushing victory for the Incense Burning Tower on paper would turn into this situation in the end.

The Heaven's Journey Sword Sect had zero casualties… Even the Incense Burning Tower didn't suffer many casualties. The only dead were three extremely core members of the Incense Burning Tower: Chang Qing, Zhu Lianfeng, and Cao Qiang. Other disciples were injured in the chaos, but not a single one died. Most were captured, and a small portion escaped.

Sheng Yuan Yao's request to "not be too ruthless" was also carried out perfectly.

In fact, completely defeating the Incense Burning Tower with weakness against strength was already a frightening act of establishing authority, and there was no need to add more killing to prove it. Instead, spreading a reputation for fairness and peace would be beneficial to Shen Tang, beneficial to subduing these strong individuals—even more beneficial to Shen Tang's future endeavors.

So, fundamentally, there was no need for Sheng Yuan Yao to instruct him; Lu Xingzhou wouldn't have been too ruthless this time.

Zhang Shaoyou, of course, didn't understand these subtleties. He looked at the core members of the Heaven's Journey Sword Sect… three young people, plus one child, so full of vigor… Zhang Shaoyou simply felt that his lifetime of cultivation had all gone to waste. The alchemists of the Incense Burning Tower were even more dispirited. The styles of the two sects were almost opposite.

In the courtyard, Qin Buwang, Zhao Guishan, and others led dozens of people slowly out.

Actually, if these people had suddenly erupted, they could have made Shen Tang suffer a great loss, but Shen Tang seemed completely unaware. Instead, she smiled very gently: "If any of you are unwilling to join the sect, this seat will not force you. You may leave freely."

No one moved.

After a long while, it was still Zhang Shaoyou who spoke on everyone's behalf: "Sect Master Shen, how do you plan to deal with us?"

"Deal with?" Shen Tang said strangely: "Where does that come from? It should be 'arrange'."

She paused, then smiled: "The time left for us to find you all and talk was really too short. We only had time to find Protector Zhang and Protector Qin separately. We originally wanted to find Protector Zhao too, but time truly wasn't enough. Do you know why we specifically chose you all to find?"

Zhang Shaoyou said: "Because among the externally hired protectors of the Incense Burning Tower, we are the strongest?"

"No, because your characters are all quite good," Shen Tang said seriously: "Perhaps you still dare not believe it, but we are sincerely inviting you all to jointly develop the sect, not simply shaking your resolve based on the outcome of the battle with the Incense Burning Tower."

Everyone was stunned.

Lu Xingzhou suddenly turned to the body-cultivating martial artist, Zhao Guishan: "Brother Zhao, was it? I originally wanted to find you, but didn't have time. It's not too late to tell you now."

Everyone was even more stunned. The Sect Master was talking to others, and you, a guest elder, interrupted. Even more absurdly, the Sect Master actually honestly closed her mouth and looked at him with her beautiful eyes, brimming with expectation, as he spoke.

Zhao Guishan, with a belly full of ellipses, cupped his hands: "Mr. Lu, please speak."

Lu Xingzhou confiscated Chang Qing's ring, took out a pill, and shook it: "This is the third-grade breakthrough dan that you very much wanted. Chang Qing had it, but wouldn't give it to you all, because he needed to use this to keep you working for him. Do you all feel that the Incense Burning Tower doing this is quite normal?"

Zhao Guishan was silent. Putting aside feelings, he also felt that this operation was quite normal. If they directly gave you the thing you most wanted, what if you turned around and didn't recognize people? If he were in charge of the Incense Burning Tower, it would also be impossible to directly give it.

Lu Xingzhou smiled: "This kind of practice, at first glance, seems reasonable, but it is actually very vile. Because the Incense Burning Tower didn't set standards for you all, just like the carrot tied in front of the donkey… The true way should be to clearly state in advance what kind of task must be completed to get it. If there are no matching level tasks for a long time, then how many low-level tasks can be accumulated to also get it. When the standards are set, Brother Zhao has goals, has motivation, and won't be tormented day by day like this, not knowing when the end is."

Zhao Guishan's eyes suddenly lit up.

Lu Xingzhou said: "When I found Brother Qin, Qin Buwang, I clearly told him these things. If I had had time to find Brother Zhao then, I would have said the same words."

Zhao Guishan looked at Qin Buwang, who nodded, indicating that he had indeed said so.

Lu Xingzhou said: "So our gentlemen's agreement… Next, we will certainly counterattack the Incense Burning Tower. If Brother Qin and Brother Zhao have outstanding performance in this battle… Um, saying it this way isn't good; whether it's outstanding also has no standard… Then let's do it this way. If the two of you can kill powerhouses of the same cultivation level in this battle, then after this battle, the third-grade breakthrough dan will be presented with both hands. For others who need it, it's by analogy."

Zhao Guishan's heart jumped: "Then we take it and leave?"

"Then our transaction is complete, and I haven't lost either," Lu Xingzhou smiled: "Of course, it's still as the Sect Master said just now: we sincerely invite you all to join the Heaven's Journey Sword Sect. This kind of thing must ultimately be voluntary; forcing has no meaning… We also believe that the Heaven's Journey Sword Sect will be a very good home for you all."

Everyone looked at each other, their expressions a bit strange.

If they truly followed them to attack the Incense Burning Tower, then besides them, who else would dare to take in such traitors? They would either hide their names and flee far away, or they could only be tied down dead by the Heaven's Journey Sword Sect.

But the fact that Lu Xingzhou could say this still made everyone feel very comfortable in their hearts.

Because they felt respected, not like the "outsiders" they were on the surface in the Incense Burning Tower.

Even though they knew he was just being generous with the spoils of the Incense Burning Tower…

Zhang Shaoyou finally spoke: "Anyway, if you can let me study your sect's first-grade sword art, this old man is willing to be your sect's guest elder."

"Not a guest elder," Shen Tang smiled slightly: "If you learn our sect's sword art, then you are a person of our sect. Um… The position of Sword Edge Hall Head, I don't know if sir is interested?"

Zhang Shaoyou's heart suddenly jumped; he simply dared not believe it.

Really so generous?

He looked around at the others; their faces also couldn't hide their moved expressions. Although Zhang Shaoyou wasn't the leader of these "externally hired" individuals, many of whom were just nodding acquaintances, his flag effect was very obvious. If Zhang Shaoyou could directly enter the core of the Heaven's Journey Sword Sect, then how would others fear exclusion or discrimination?

And this also meant that Zhang Shaoyou joining the sect would bring in a batch of very strong forces… Was Shen Tang really not afraid that Zhang Shaoyou would, to a certain extent, usurp the host and rebel against her?

Shen Tang said very calmly: "Employ people without doubt, doubt people without employ. You all don't need to suspect. If you are willing to join the sect, you will all be appointed positions."

Zhang Shaoyou took a deep breath, and knelt on one knee: "Only after seeing the Sect Master do I know how much time was wasted in the Incense Burning Tower over the years. I, Zhang, am willing to be driven."

Shen Tang, with the demeanor of respectfully welcoming talents, virtually helped him up, but in her heart, she was even more excited than he was.

This was a third-grade sword cultivator! And a fourth-grade high-level dao cultivator and body cultivator! The other crowds were five or six grades or less. If this force truly joined, the Heaven's Journey Sword Sect would truly become a dragon coiled in Xia State.

Before getting Lu Xingzhou, Shen Tang thought it would take at least ten years of effort for the Heaven's Journey Sword Sect to reach this strength. She didn't think it would happen earth-shakingly, in just two short months.

Getting one Lu Xingzhou saved her ten years of struggle…

Dugu Qingli's eyes were also very complex. She had watched Shen Tang go from being poor and blank, even having an alchemist poached, to the embarrassing situation she was in, all the way to now. It was no exaggeration to say she was remade.

"First, arrange lodging for everyone," Lu Xingzhou gave Shen Tang a look: "Sect Master, I… Um, your subordinate has something to say to you."

Naturally, Tang Yunzhong and others from the Heaven's Journey Sword Sect were responsible for settling the newcomers. Shen Tang led Lu Xingzhou back to her bedroom.

Neither of them felt there was anything wrong with entering the bedroom; they had been there many times anyway. Dugu Qingli guarded outside, her eyes bewildered.

At first, I pushed you through the door, and you still scolded me. Now?

No, why should I stand outside?

Beside her, A Nuo's little head poked out, stuck to the door to listen. Dugu Qingli twitched the corners of her mouth, expressionless.

Forget it, this scene is more familiar.

Inside, Lu Xingzhou was saying to Shen Tang: "Although Elder Tang and the others didn't say anything, their expressions were somewhat worried. Your next step is to promote the core layer of your original Heaven's Journey Sword Sect."

Shen Tang rubbed her eyebrows: "I also realized this point, but promotion doesn't happen overnight."

"Promotion doesn't happen overnight, but confidence does," Lu Xingzhou smiled: "The secret realm can be opened to them, and only to them."

Shen Tang's eyes flashed with light.

So that was it, it was this simple. Let Zhong Shu and the others feel the greatest trust, and naturally, they would no longer be worried. The abundant spiritual energy of the secret realm would also be beneficial to their breakthroughs, and their cultivation could be raised in a short time, which would also balance the subordinate forces.

"If we can truly successfully counterattack the Incense Burning Tower, the stored dans of the Incense Burning Tower can also be distributed to them. It's not that sword sects don't like taking dans; for breakthroughs, it's still worth taking them to assist."

"Um, I know," Shen Tang bit her lower lip, her beautiful eyes seemed to hold autumn water: "You have nothing to ask me?"

Lu Xingzhou laughed: "Did you secretly hide your strength?"

"Um," Shen Tang slightly lowered her eyes. This could be considered the only thing she had kept from Lu Xingzhou. If she even revealed all the cards behind her, then she would have no secrets left from him.

She didn't know why; it wasn't that she distrusted him, but inexplicably, she felt a kind of naked shame.

As a result, Lu Xingzhou acted as if nothing had happened: "You originally told me you had dead men, as for the specific strength, and how many people… Everyone should have a bit of their own privacy; I won't ask."

Shen Tang's heart was slightly moved. She lifted her head and looked into his eyes.

Lu Xingzhou blinked his eyes: "Instead, sister… With such great merit, how should you reward me?"

Shen Tang's heart thumped faster and faster, and she was suddenly somewhat grateful for their two wheelchairs.

If it weren't for this awkward hindrance, like ordinary people standing face to face, Shen Tang could hardly imagine how fatal that atmosphere would be.

Just as she was thinking this, Lu Xingzhou stood up.

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