Actually, there was no need for Lu Li to say anything. They had already discussed it before coming. Each person would contribute one thousand contribution points. Although it was somewhat painful, if they could settle this matter, it would be worth it.
"Haha, you understand well," Lu Li said with a casual wave, collecting the four cards. "Alright, let's consider this matter settled. Just don't provoke me again."
"Yes," Shi Yanzhe and the others breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.
"Leave. I need to cultivate," Lu Li directly issued the order to leave since they were still standing there.
Upon hearing this, Shi Yanzhe couldn't help but show an awkward expression, putting on an apologetic smile, "Sir, about that... Junior Brother Chen hasn't given us our tasks for today..."
"No tasks?"
Lu Li was taken aback, then chuckled wryly. He called Chen Zhong out from the room, telling him not to trouble these people in the future, and personally assigned tasks to each of them before letting them leave.
Shi Yanzhe and the others were deeply moved, and the last bit of resentment in their hearts vanished completely.
"Big Brother, are we just letting them off like that?" Chen Zhong said somewhat unwillingly.
"What do you want to do?" Lu Li looked calmly at Chen Zhong. "Kill them?"
"Even if we don't kill them, we should teach them a lesson, right?"
"A lesson?" Lu Li shook his head. "Lessons only make people harbor hidden resentment, then they'll secretly plot against you and me, just like how we dealt with Sun Zi'an before. Remember, unless you want to kill someone, don't easily create grudges with others."
Chen Zhong's eyes widened. "Then let's kill them!"
"Your brain..." Lu Li was truly speechless. He found that Chen Zhong's body was getting bigger and bigger, but his brain was thinking less and less. He could only directly tell him not to bother others and to focus on cultivating.
Upon hearing this, Chen Zhong immediately understood.
Lu Li then took out his four thousand contribution points and handed them to Chen Zhong, telling him to find time to exchange them for True Essence Pills.
After these instructions, Lu Li returned to his room to continue his secluded cultivation.
This secluded cultivation lasted for two months.
During this period, Lu Li almost never went out. All matters were handled by Chen Zhong. Even for the second month's task distribution, Lu Li only stood on the platform briefly.
After receiving thirty-five thousand contribution points, Wen Hong couldn't stop smiling, repeatedly saying he hadn't misjudged the person.
When Sun Zi'an was in charge, he constantly made things difficult for everyone. Not only were the commissions small, but he also made the entire Miscellaneous Hall full of complaints. With Lu Li in charge, everyone happily accepted tasks. Not only did the commissions increase, but the entire Miscellaneous Hall became peaceful and harmonious.
After receiving fifteen thousand contribution points, Lu Li exchanged them all for True Essence Pills.
However, with his Time Palace, these True Essence Pills were still like a drop in the bucket.
After two months of secluded cultivation, plus the assistance of True Essence Pills, he had opened twenty-six acupoints in his second meridian, reaching the mid-second layer.
Today was the first day of the seventh month, and he had to temporarily end his cultivation.
Firstly, today was the day to distribute contribution points. Secondly, newcomers were joining today. The Qingyang Sect's three-year recruitment had ended, and naturally, newcomers would come to the Miscellaneous Hall.
"Greetings, Deputy Elder."
"Greetings, Senior Brother Lu."
"..."
In the small square of the Miscellaneous Hall, everyone greeted Lu Li as he arrived, each face filled with smiles. Lu Li also smiled in response without any arrogance.
When Lu Li went on stage, Wen Hong looked at him with a resentful expression, saying, "You brat, now the entire Miscellaneous Hall calls you Deputy Elder, but no one remembers that I'm the Elder."
Lu Li smiled slightly, "Elder, why bother with what they say? As long as we get contribution points, that's what matters."
"That's true," Wen Hong nodded, taking out fifteen purple cards and handing them to Lu Li. "Here, last month's. I don't have the habit of withholding salaries."
"Haha, thank you, Elder," Lu Li accepted them without hesitation. "By the way, aren't there newcomers today?"
"The newcomers will arrive later. I'll bring them to your courtyard later so you can meet them and assign their tasks."
"Alright," Lu Li nodded, then suddenly looked at Chen Zhong beside him. "Elder, my brother here has been working very hard. Shouldn't you show some appreciation?"
"Appreciation?" Wen Hong widened his eyes. "That's your job. You have others do it and still expect me to show appreciation?"
"Tsk, stingy."
After getting familiar with Wen Hong, Lu Li discovered that this person was just straightforward, not the malicious type, so he often joked with him.
"Alright, enough of your money-grubbing look," Wen Hong shook his head, taking out another purple card. "This one is for that kid. Don't you dare pocket it."
Lu Li didn't expect him to actually give it, quickly accepting it. "How could I? I thank you on his behalf, Elder."
Task distribution proceeded in an orderly manner. No one cut in line, no one crowded. The only sounds were occasional laughter and teasing from the crowd. Lu Li and Wen Hong stood to the side, laughing from time to time.
After all tasks were distributed, Lu Li took Chen Zhong and left.
Returning to the courtyard, Lu Li directly handed all the contribution cards to Chen Zhong. "Exchange them all for True Essence Pills."
As the saying goes, all medicine has some toxicity, but Lu Li didn't care at all.
He dared to use True Essence Pills so recklessly because of the benefits brought by his body refinement. He discovered that after absorbing the medicinal power of these True Essence Pills, the impurities produced couldn't enter his blood vessels and skin but were pushed together.
Lu Li only needed to circulate his True Qi to expel them from his body.
Noon.
Wen Hong indeed brought five young boys and girls inside. Some looked dejected, others curious.
Four of the boys looked to be only around ten years old. They had probably just Awakened and showed no cultivation fluctuations.
Only that girl looked about fourteen or fifteen years old. Although dressed plainly, her cultivation had reached the terrifying peak of the second layer of Qi Refinement, much higher than Lu Li's.
Lu Li was currently staring at the girl with shock. Being at the same second layer of Qi Refinement, even if she had opened more acupoints than him, she couldn't hide it from him.
"Surprised?" Wen Hong, seeing Lu Li's expression, twitched his face. "I was also shocked when I first saw her. But don't be too surprised. Senior Brother Liu from the External Affairs Hall said she comes from a fallen cultivation family. Her family suffered a disaster, and while fleeing, she happened to meet the Third Elder who was out recruiting."
"So that's how it is."
Lu Li had heard about cultivation families from chatting with fellow disciples.
They were actually some large families in the mortal world. Because their ancestors were cultivators, they passed down some cultivation methods. However, most of these families would send their members to the Sect after training them to the third layer of Qi Refinement.
After all, cultivation resources in the mortal world were far inferior to those in the Sect.
But for her family to be wiped out, her fate was truly tragic.
Seeing everyone curiously staring at Lu Li, Wen Hong said to them, "Everyone remember, this dark-skinned guy is named Lu Li. He's the Deputy Elder of our Miscellaneous Hall. If you have any problems in the future, just find him."
Then he glared, "All of you, greet Deputy Elder Lu!"
Lu Li: ...