The Sect Leader of the Tianling Sect took the Precept Bead and examined it. When he found the residual aura of mana unique to the Nascent Soul stage upon it, he couldn't help but glance at Fang Jinyu.

To be honest, because Fang Jinyu had previously touched something that shouldn't have been touched, to the point that they had to secretly execute a third-layer Foundation Establishment cultivator, the Sect Leader had not been very welcoming toward Fang Jinyu since then. After all, the Ancestor had far too many "old friends' descendants." He often saw the Ancestor receive some "old friend's descendant" and then pay them no further attention afterward.

It wasn't until Fang Jinyu displayed his alchemy talent, even showing some potential as a Saint-level Alchemist, that the Sect Leader began to treat him favorably again.

But he hadn't expected that this Fang Jinyu still left an impression in the Ancestor's eyes.

So, in a shift of thought, the Sect Leader looked coldly at that ninth-layer Qi Refining disciple: "Lin Le, do you know the crime of slandering a Foundation Establishment Uncle-Master?"

"Sect Leader! This disciple... this disciple did not slander!" Lin Le's expression panicked, but at this point, he could only grit his teeth and hold on to the end: "It was this Uncle-Master who coerced this disciple into giving him the slot to enter the Lingdu Secret Realm! I beg the Sect Leader to see clearly!"

"Yes, Sect Leader, you must not listen to his one-sided story!" At that moment, those three Foundation Establishment guest retainers hurriedly chimed in. Aside from having their faces slapped by Fang Jinyu today, it was also related to the fact that the one who had sought them out had doubled the benefits.

The Sect Leader glanced at them darkly, then said, "Junior Brother Fang's parents once sacrificed themselves for the Tianling Sect. It was for this reason that the sect rewarded him with a slot to enter the Lingdu Secret Realm. However, Junior Brother Fang was exceptionally talented, comprehended the true meaning of the cultivation formula, broke through all bottlenecks, and naturally achieved the Foundation Establishment stage. Therefore, Junior Brother Fang came to Tianling Peak at that time, wanting to hand over this entry slot..."

He didn't mention the Ancestor, but his words were clear enough.

"Three Junior Brothers, please carefully re-familiarize yourselves with the sect rules. The Tianling Sect is different from other immortal sects. I dare not say all, but most of the sect rules still carry weight."

Although the Sect Leader spoke politely, his words were tantamount to a warning.

The three guest retainers naturally could tell. Their faces changed the moment they heard it. They had previously served as guest retainers in other immortal sects for a while and had assumed that the sect rules of all immortal sects were of the same nature—only prepared for ordinary disciples without power or influence. If one had power and influence, everything was a different story.

At this moment, Lin Le's face turned deathly pale. He hurriedly cried out, "Sect Leader, this disciple was unwilling to come! It was these three Uncle-Masters who forced me to come. I dared not refuse!"

But the Sect Leader paid him no mind and simply said, "Lin Le slandered an Uncle-Master, and privately transferred his slot to enter the Lingdu Secret Realm. He should have his cultivation abolished and be expelled from the sect. However, considering his family just suffered misfortune, he shall only be expelled."

"Sect Leader!" Lin Le was terrified. It was precisely because he had the status of a Tianling Sect disciple that his family's enemies dared not touch him. But once he lost this status, whether he had cultivation or not would make no difference.

But at this moment, no one cared about him, a minor ninth-layer Qi Refining disciple, because this matter needed a scapegoat.

The three guest retainers were clearly unsuitable. After all, they were useful to the Tianling Sect; otherwise, they wouldn't have been hired in the first place.

And Fang Jinyu, the victim, also wouldn't do. Not only was he a Foundation Establishment cultivator with the potential of a Saint-level Alchemist, but the Ancestor was also involved.

So, clearly, Lin Le, who had now lost the protection of his family, was the best scapegoat.

Lin Le was actually a victim too, but it didn't matter. No one cared about the rights or wrongs of a small figure. Everyone just wanted a relatively satisfactory outcome.

However, Fang Jinyu was somewhat dissatisfied, because Lin Le was just an unlucky fellow.

Fortunately, at that moment, someone walked right into his line of fire.

Naturally, it was the three guest retainers. After all, their hands were tied by the benefits they'd received. Since they couldn't make an issue of the secret realm slot anymore, the earlier scuffle between Fang Jinyu and the three of them was just right.

"Sect Leader, earlier Fang Jinyu fought with the three of us. He..." One of the guest retainers was just about to frame Fang Jinyu, but at that moment, Fang Jinyu spoke up: "I admit to this matter. I demand that the sect punish me according to the most severe punishment. However, they also fought, so they must bear at least half the punishment!"

The Tianling Sect Leader was taken aback for a moment. But then he recalled the Ancestor's strange instructions regarding Fang Jinyu at the time, and also remembered that Fang Jinyu had previously gone to Spirit Beast Valley to do hard labor for a month out of gratitude for the sect giving him a slot to enter the Lingdu Secret Realm. The Sect Leader's expression gradually grew odd.

"Junior Brother Fang, are you serious? The most severe punishment would be to go to the subterranean spirit vein and mine three hundred thousand spirit stones," the Sect Leader advised.

Mining spirit stones was indeed backbreaking work. Spirit Beast Valley was at most unbearably stinky, like being thrown into a vat of rotten pickles a few times. But going into the subterranean spirit vein to mine spirit stones, one not only had to endure the pressure of the depths but also evade attacks from subterranean beings. Though not fatal, it would absolutely torment a person to no end.

There had once been a ninth-layer Foundation Establishment cultivator who went down, mined a million spirit stones, and returned with his cultivation already fallen to the seventh layer of Foundation Establishment.

"Then they would have to mine one hundred fifty thousand, right?" Fang Jinyu looked at the three guest retainers.

"If Junior Brother Fang admits to it, then they will have to mine one hundred fifty thousand spirit stones," the Sect Leader nodded. Since they had fought, and it was a personal grudge, it couldn't be brushed aside like last time.

"I admit it!" Fang Jinyu said.

And those three guest retainers were already ashen-faced. They all stared wide-eyed at Fang Jinyu with shock.

This guy is so ruthless even to himself; is he really a damn alchemist?

"Junior Brother Fang, about this matter... how about we let it go?" Though they came from rogue cultivator backgrounds, the three were well aware of what mining spirit stones entailed, and they all immediately felt a chill.

"No, since Fang has violated the sect rules, if I do not accept punishment, my heart would be uneasy!" Fang Jinyu's mouth was full of high-sounding words, leaving the three guest retainers with no choice but to curse inwardly. They hurriedly went to find someone to plead on their behalf, hoping for a final struggle.

However, as Fang Jinyu voluntarily went underground, the three guest retainers also had no choice but to go down.

But unlike these three guest retainers who really had to mine one hundred fifty thousand spirit stones, Fang Jinyu only stayed underground for two days before a Golden Core great cultivator hurried over and brought him out.

"The Ancestor has said that if you refine ten more Foundation Establishment Pills, your punishment this time will be waived." The Golden Core great cultivator, with a strange look in his eyes, conveyed the Ancestor's verbal decree and then left directly.

"Many thanks, Ancestor!"

Although that Nascent Soul stage Ancestor definitely couldn't hear him, Fang Jinyu still voiced his thanks in the direction of Guiwang Peak.

This was an important surface project; he couldn't afford to neglect it.

‘I thought it would take half a month, but I didn't expect to come out in just two days. It seems the Ancestor is really concerned about the decrease in Foundation Establishment Fruits this time!’

Fang Jinyu mused thoughtfully, then faced the direction of the subterranean spirit stone mining and opened his mouth. Though soundless, the meaning was clear: Three idiots.