As Sons of the Stars, even Fang Yuan and w.a.n.g Meijia couldn’t help but exclaim, “Thirteen million?!”
Only a few senior members, including Chu Rui, Wei Lai, and Yan Zhan, remained composed, as if this was a fair reward.
Nie Tian was taken aback. “That many? How was the number determined?”
As a Son of the Stars, he had fought many battles for the sect over the years. However, he had only acc.u.mulated no more than two million contribution points.
Furthermore, he had already spent most of them on the rare cultivation materials that Jing Feiyang and his other subordinates had needed, such as that Heavenly Talisman.
Currently, there were a considerable number of late Void domain experts in his subordinate domains who had reached the point where they were ready to advance to the Saint domain.
However, compared to entering the Void domain, entering the Saint domain required many more precious materials, some of which could only be found in the vaults of the four great sects.
A copious amount of contribution points would allow Nie Tian to trade for all sorts of rare materials that would meet the needs of those who were attempting to break through into the Saint domain.
If he used all thirteen million contribution points on his middle and late Void domain subordinates, it wouldn’t be very long before many of them entered the Saint domain.
The number of Saint domain subordinates was a crucial standard against which the Sons of the Star would be measured in order to determine the future Lord of the Stars.
Wei Lai smiled and said, “The whole calculation process is rather complicated. I’d rather not bother you with the details. However, it was a meritorious deed for you to win your duel against Ophelia on the sect’s behalf, and win the lost Heavenly Stellar Stream back.
“This alone awarded you several million contribution points.
“Later, with that mysterious bone you have, you communicated with the Star Behemoth that was turning into a Heavenly Corpse, and sent it back into the depths of the earth.
“Both you and your master are the reason why that calamity was ended before it killed us all.
“Since your master isn’t a member of our sect, we’ll remember his meritorious deed and the fact that we owe him a big favor.
“As for you, the contributions you’ve made and your meritorious service to the sect combined roughly translate into thirteen million contribution points.
“You may visit our sect’s Treasure Pavilion and unique cultivation venues and trade for the precious materials or cultivation services your subordinates need. Or you can simply give your Star Medallion to them and let them make the purchases themselves...” Wei Lai took his time to explain everything in detail.
Li Jing and many others from the Blood Sect grew thrilled. “Such a large amount of contribution points can be used to trade for all kinds of precious materials from the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace!”
Li Jing was currently at a crucial stage in her advance to the Void domain. However, due to the uniqueness of the Blood Sect’s incantations, she had to gather a large number of rare materials to forge her inner domain.
Since Master Blood Spirit had been in trouble himself, he couldn’t provide her with any a.s.sistance in finding those spiritual materials.
This had frustrated him.
However, as they heard that Nie Tian had won such a large amount of contribution points with the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace, the two of them exchanged a glance, and felt a strong sense of relief.
“Besides Nie Tian’s contribution points, we also have the Heaven Span Pavilion’s promise,” Master Blood Spirit whispered. “Since Fan Tianze said they’ll return our sect’s old realms to us, I’ll take a trip to the Heaven Span Pavilion to see when we’ll get those realms back, along with that compensation they promised.”
Li Jing shot a glance at Nie Tian, who was talking to Wei Lai, Chu Rui, and the other elders, a complicated expression appearing on her charming face. “This is all thanks to Nie Tian...”
She still remembered when she had first met Nie Tian. Back then, he had been nothing but a boy with a strong personality and unmatched luck.
Who would have thought that less than a century had pa.s.sed, and Nie Tian had already risen to such heights?
Not only had he walked out of the Realm of Flame Heaven where he was from, but he had also made the Domain of the Falling Stars, the Domain of Heaven’s Boundaries, and the Domain of Heaven Python his subordinate domains.
The name of the seventh Son of the Stars even inspired fear across the outsider domains.
Even though he was still a Son of the Stars, he had dared to confront Luo Wanxiang face-to-face, which had attracted support from the Void Spirit Society, the Five Elements Sect, and the Heaven Span Pavilion at the same time.
“The boy I remember is gone...” Li Jing muttered to herself, a profound look appearing in the depths of her charming eyes.
“You finally won’t have to hide anymore,” Nie Tian said in their direction. “You’re free to establish your headquarters anywhere in the Domain of the Falling Stars, the Domain of Heaven’s Boundaries, or the Domain of Heaven Python. Also, if you like, you may check the Blood Spirit Sect’s old realms, and see if you want to move there.”
“I see. I’ll take a trip there soon.” Master Blood Spirit said respectfully.
Compared to before, the respect he now held towards Nie Tian was much more heartfelt.
Nie Tian looked at him, and felt that he would follow him wholeheartedly from now on even without the restrictive spell the Spirit Pearl had left in the deepest part of his soul.
Like Li Langfeng, his loyalty to him would be beyond doubt.
Nie Tian nodded. “Alright, make decisions as you see fit.” With these words, he turned to Jing Feiyang and his other subordinates. “After you return to your domains, talk to the late Void domain cultivators that hope to enter the Saint domain, then make a list of the materials they need for their breakthroughs, so I can arrange for people to get those materials for them as soon as possible.”
Jing Feiyang, Qu Mingde, and all of Nie Tian’s other Saint domain subordinates were overjoyed to hear this and nodded repeatedly.
Nie Tian then turned to Xie Qian and said, “The same goes for you, Senior Xie.”
Xie Qian, who had traveled a great distance to this place, bowed, a faint smile appearing on his face. “Many thanks.”
Nie Tian’s words meant that he planned to use his thirteen million contribution points to help his sect members as well.
Because of Nie Tian, all of the late Void domain experts in his subordinate domains would be given an opportunity to enter the Saint domain.
As for whether they would be able to enter the Saint domain successfully, it wasn’t for anyone to decide.
Usually, one would have to spend a long time gathering the necessary materials before they could make the attempt to break through into the Saint domain.
However, by obtaining such a large amount of contribution points, Nie Tian greatly shortened that time for them. This was a privilege of being subordinates to figures like Nie Tian.
The late Void domain members of the Divine Seal Sect, Thousandsword Mountain Sect, Golden Vast Sect, and Divine Flame Sect would be the first to benefit from that privilege.
“Come and find me in the Realm of Split Void when you’re done.” With these words, Nie Tian turned to bid farewell to Chu Rui and the elders of the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace one by one.
Chu Rui had a pair of small beady eyes on his chubby face.
After running his gaze over Xie Qian, Master Blood Spirit, Jing Feiyang, and the other Saint domain experts, he nodded and flew off into the dark starry river with w.a.n.g Meijia.
Only after a while, when there was a significant distance between them and the others, did Chu Rui turn to w.a.n.g Meijia, who was surrounded by what seemed like miniature nebulae, and say, “It’s not that I don’t want to support you anymore. But rather...”
“It’s okay,” w.a.n.g Meijia said with an expressionless face. “I understand.”
As the fourth Son of the Stars, her greatest backer was Vice Sectmaster Chu Rui, since he was sworn friends with a late family member of hers.
However, even so, she was aware that she didn’t have a compet.i.tive edge over the other Sons of the Stars.
There was Dou Tianchen, who had become a Son of the Stars before her, and Sikong Cuo, who had become a Son of the Stars after her.
Now, Nie Tian had come along and showed his incredible talents.
Her will to win the compet.i.tion against them had grown much weaker over the years.
“As long as Nie Tian is in the picture, I doubt that anyone else will have a chance.” Chu Rui a.n.a.lyzed the situation calmly. “However, you still have a chance to become one of the vice sectmasters in the future as I did. Sometimes we have to learn to accept our fate.
“You saw it yourself. Nie Tian’s subordinates are already rather strong.
“If he spends all of his thirteen million contribution points on his late Void domain subordinates, many of them will advance to the Saint domain.
“How long has it been since he joined our sect? However, with such a large number of Saint domain subordinates, his force is already every bit as strong as anyone else’s. Even Sikong Cuo is outshone by him due to his recent losses.
“Not only does he have Mo Heng’s support, but important figures from the Heaven Span Pavilion, the Five Elements Sect, and the Void Spirit Society favor him as well.
“Under such circ.u.mstances, who could win a compet.i.tion against him?”
w.a.n.g Meijia sagged her head and said, “That’s enough. I know that I don’t stand a chance anymore.”
Chu Rui sighed. “Perhaps you can do what Fang Yuan is doing to cultivate a close relations.h.i.+p with Nie Tian. Of course, I’m not saying that you should pursue him. However, as long as you demonstrate that you’re his friend, and not an enemy, you’ll definitely have a place in the sect when he comes to power.”
w.a.n.g Meijia nodded and said bitterly, “Even Luo Wanxiang backed off. Of course I wouldn’t want to stand in his way.”
Chu Rui sighed again. “I guess I should do the same. If Ji Yuanquan, Fan Tianze, and those from the Five Elements Sect hadn’t come all this way to support Nie Tian, I might have waited and seen if I could put up a fight. But now, seeing his subordinates grow stronger and stronger, and his own strength and cultivation base advance by leaps and bounds, I can only find a way to accept my failure.”
“I guess me too,” w.a.n.g Meijia said.
Chu Rui let out a sigh of relief. “I’m glad that you see it this way. I was worried that you wouldn’t let go, and do something rash and ruin your relations.h.i.+p with him.”
“You worry too much,” w.a.n.g Meijia said. “If someone were to do such a thing it would be Sikong Cuo, not me.”
Chu Rui narrowed his eyes. “Sikong Cuo… He never showed up again since he gained the Heavenly Stellar Stream. If there are no mishaps, he must have made significant advances in both his strength and cultivation base with its help. Perhaps he’s the only one who can still threaten Nie Tian’s leading position. However, the way I see it, he doesn’t have good odds either.
“It’ll probably be fine if he builds up his own strength without playing any tricks. But if he insists on scheming against and undermining Nie Tian, even Luo Wanxiang may not be able to protect him.”
w.a.n.g Meijia pondered briefly, then asked, “Now that Sikong Cuo has the Heavenly Stellar Stream, will he be able to win a duel against Nie Tian?”
Chu Rui took a moment to think before saying, “I don’t know. It seems that Nie Tian’s experience from the depths of the Shatter Battlefield will help him enter the Void domain soon. However, that’s not what makes him hard to beat. Instead, it’s his mysterious tools, bloodline, and his other secrets which we don’t even know about.”