That night, Su Luo slept clutching the golden key.
All the treasures of Qingxu Tian were now hers to manage!
She had a night of sweet dreams.
Waking the next day, Su Luo didn't even have time for breakfast before going to see Li Tianjue. They had agreed yesterday that he would take her to the Resource Hall for the final handover.
The Resource Hall was the most important place in Qingxu Tian. Not only was it guarded by a powerful divine beast, but it was also surrounded by formations and mechanisms. Even the heavy doors were inscribed with runes, ensuring that anyone with ill intentions would meet a gruesome end if they attempted to break in.
"This is Qingxu Tian's mountain-guarding divine beast, the Dragon Hound. It was the sect founder's divine pet and is over eighty thousand years old, having guarded the sect to this day," Li Tianjue gestured for Su Luo to look at the dark divine beast lying at the entrance of the Resource Hall.
What, this was Qingxu Tian's mountain-guarding divine beast?
Su Luo was a little surprised; this was clearly a big black dog!
She had never heard of what breed of divine beast a Dragon Hound was.
As she curiously walked closer, she heard Li Tianjue say, "Don't be fooled by the Dragon Hound's ordinary appearance; it's just that it hasn't revealed its true form. It knows all things in the world and can hear the hearts of people. If anyone harbors malice towards it or Qingxu Tian, they will absolutely not escape its detection."
Su Luo's heart skipped a beat, and she immediately dismissed the thought of using her Divine Eye Mirror to probe it.
What kind of Dragon Hound was this? It was clearly a Diting!
In legends, only the ancient divine beast Diting possessed the supernatural ability to know all things and hear human hearts. The big black dog before her must be its ordinary form, which was why it appeared so unremarkable.
Only when Li Tianjue and Su Luo approached did the Dragon Hound open its eyes and glance at them lazily.
"Senior Dragon Hound, this is junior sister Su Luo. Starting today, the Resource Hall will be entirely under her charge." Li Tianjue spoke as if addressing a sect elder who had lived for tens of thousands of years, his tone solemn, with a hint of respect and gratitude.
Su Luo composed herself, daring not to think further, and respectfully said, "Senior Dragon Hound, hello. I am Su Luo."
The Dragon Hound merely glanced at her, as if not fully awake, then lay back down and closed its eyes.
Li Tianjue smiled faintly and said, "Alright, Senior Dragon Hound recognizes you. Now, open the door."
It was that simple?
Su Luo retracted her curious gaze and quickly took out the key, opening the door according to the method Li Tianjue had taught her.
The two walked in, and the door immediately closed automatically.
No one noticed that after they entered, the Dragon Hound, which had been lying lazily on the ground, immediately raised its head. It looked at the closing door, and a sharp glint flashed in its dark eyes.
Inside the treasury.
Su Luo's heart began to pound. She had finally entered Qingxu Tian's treasure vault. She wondered how many precious treasures a top sect that had stood for thousands of years on the continent awaited her; she imagined they would dazzle her eyes!
"Hmm?"
After only a few steps, Su Luo stared at the vast and empty treasury and couldn't help but be stunned.
Where were the items, the treasures? Why couldn't she see them?
Li Tianjue stood with his hands behind his back, still maintaining his calm demeanor, and indicated, "All of Qingxu Tian's sect resources are here. You can check them."
Su Luo glanced around the empty shelves again. There wasn't even a box for holding items, and they were so clean that only dust remained. Where were the resources? Check them... check the air? Could this man be tricking her!
"Senior disciple brother, are you sure this is the Resource Hall treasury of Qingxu Tian?" she asked again, her eyes wide.
"Yes, what's wrong?" Li Tianjue seemed unfazed.
"What's wrong? Are you lying to me? There's nothing here! Where are the spirit stones, spirit herbs, and pills you mentioned?" Su Luo finally sensed that something was amiss. No wonder Li Tianjue had agreed so readily yesterday and even brought it up with the elders; he actually wanted to trick her!
Li Tianjue said faintly, "I only said I would let you manage the Resource Hall, not what was inside it. Over the years, to treat Fifth Junior Brother's illness, quite a few sect resources were indeed consumed, and not much is left. But there's no other way."
What consumed some?
He had clearly squandered almost all of it!
Su Luo was furious, grinding her teeth. No wonder this man had them eating steamed buns all the way back, no wonder he was so stingy, and no wonder he came to Feihong Residence to eat for free every day...
As if not seeing Su Luo's furious gaze, Li Tianjue patted her shoulder and said earnestly, "For many years, I have been struggling to hold on. Since you voluntarily wish to help me share the burden, and your attitude is sincere, and you have some ability, I am naturally willing to hand over the Resource Hall to you to manage. It will be hard work for you from now on, Su, Junior, Sister!"
The last three words were clearly laced with schadenfreude.
He was barely holding back from laughing out loud in front of her.
"Li Tianjue!"
Su Luo gritted her teeth in anger. She had been tricked by this scoundrel!
"You're tricking me, trying to harm me! I'm not convinced! I'm going to tell the elders that you deliberately toyed with me..." Su Luo wished she could grab Li Tianjue right now and expose his true colors to the elders.
"You promised everyone yesterday, and now you want to go back on your word?"
Li Tianjue watched her with his arms crossed, saying faintly, "If you can bear to disappoint the elders, and want Xiao Guo and Xiao Bai to laugh at you, then by all means go ahead and say it. I don't care."
Su Luo immediately deflated.
Damn it, this bastard, despicable and shameless, had set a trap to ensnare her!
She had never met such a cunning and scheming man as Li Tianjue. He looked as handsome and dashing as an immortal, and his reputation was impeccable. Everyone in the sect respected and trusted him! Yet, he turned out to be a sly old fox!
He even tricked a new junior sister like her!
Wuu wuu wuu...
Li Tianjue then pretended to comfort her gently, "Junior Sister Su, don't worry too much. There are still some resources in the treasury. As long as you control expenses, find ways to earn more spirit stones, and get the Resource Hall running, it won't be too difficult. I believe you can do it."
"That's all I have to say. I won't delay Junior Sister Su's work." After speaking, Li Tianjue turned and left, a hidden smile in his voice.
He couldn't hold it in any longer, so he had to leave quickly.
He had finally tricked this girl once; let's see if she dared to be so arrogant in the future!
Watching the door close again, Su Luo remained in the empty Resource Hall treasury, on the verge of tears.
Thinking that she now bore the heavy burden of the daily expenses for tens of thousands of outer disciples across Qingxu Tian, as well as the monthly allowances for inner disciples and elders, Su Luo knew that her dream life of eating, drinking, and having fun was irrevocably gone.
From now on, she would be a workhorse for Qingxu Tian.
A tool person for life!
"Li Tianjue, it's all your fault! I won't let you off! You scoundrel, you bastard, you treacherous villain!" The more Su Luo thought about it, the more indignant and wronged she felt, completely forgetting her own shameless desire to "use her power for personal gain." Her eyes turned red...
And tears began to fall.
"Hurry up, get into character. Li Tianjue, you just wait, I'll deal with you!" she muttered softly, quickly leaving the treasury, a grand drama already brewing in her heart.
She was determined to get revenge!
The Dragon Hound, lying by the door, looked up at Su Luo's departing back and let out a low growl.
A quarter of an hour later.
The First Elder, emerging from Mingde Hall, saw Su Luo.
"Su, girl!"
The First Elder had just finished teaching a group of outer disciples and was preparing to return to his courtyard to rest when he saw her. His face immediately lit up with a doting smile. "Where are you going? Didn't your Senior Disciple Brother... Eh, why are you crying?"