Fanfic: Lay Flat

As Han Feng pondered asking Jiang Surou for help, he realized this would give him another perfect excuse to gift her something. He had been wondering when he'd get the opportunity to give her that Thirty-Year-Old White Lingluo Flower. Now he could give it, get back a 300-year-old version, and sell it for a hefty pile of spirit stones.

Hehehe… Han Feng thought gleefully as he lay back in his chair, basking in the sun alongside the little fox.

By the afternoon, a sharp voice rang out from outside the courtyard.

"Han Feng! Wake up! Come with us!"

Han Feng opened his eyes and saw an Enforcement Hall disciple standing outside, hovering on a flying sword, his face stern and cold.

"Oh, it's Senior Brother from the Enforcement Hall. May I ask what crime I've committed to warrant being taken away?" Han Feng replied calmly, sitting up.

"Your submitted herbs were used to refine Qi Condensation Pills. One of the disciples who took the pill suffered a severe Qi deviation and sustained considerable damage to his meridians. His injuries are severe. You need to come with us to the Enforcement Hall for questioning."

"I see. But let me be clear—if it's anywhere but the Enforcement Hall, I won't be going." Han Feng stood up, grabbed the little fox, and walked to the gate, where he promptly set the fox down. The little creature scampered off into the distance.

The Enforcement Hall disciple glanced at the fleeing fox but said nothing. He then turned back to Han Feng with a puzzled expression. "What are you doing?"

"Well, I can't fly. What do you expect me to do? Hike up the mountain?"

Han Feng smiled, shrugging.

The disciple rolled his eyes and pulled Han Feng onto his flying sword. Together, they flew toward the mountain.

As they traveled, Han Feng discreetly pulled out his communication jade slip and sent a message to Jiang Huayang, explaining that the Ye family was framing him and asking for his help at the Enforcement Hall.

Upon arriving at the Enforcement Hall branch on Luoxia Peak, the disciple guided Han Feng inside. There, the hall was bustling with activity, and at the front of the room sat an elder of the Enforcement Hall, flanked by several disciples.

At the center of the room stood four people, two of whom were all too familiar to Han Feng: Ye Longyuan and Zhang Xiang.

"Disciple Han Feng greets the elder!" Han Feng said with a respectful bow.

The elder slammed his hand on the table and snapped, "Han Feng, confess immediately!"

Han Feng blinked in confusion. "Confess to what, Elder? What have I done?"

The elder snorted. "Today, Alchemist Ye Longzhao from Danxia Peak came to me to report that a disciple named Ye Yuntang ingested a Qi Condensation Pill and immediately suffered a severe Qi deviation. His meridians were damaged, and his dantian was injured. He's on the verge of losing all his cultivation.

Alchemist Ye Longzhao claims that the problem stemmed from a contaminated herb used in the pill, specifically a Four-Leaf Orchid. Ye Yuntang's injuries were confirmed by myself, and upon further investigation, we found that the herb came from Luoxia Peak, delivered by the overseer Zhang Xiang. And Zhang Xiang's records show that the herb was planted and harvested by you, Han Feng. Do you deny it?"

Han Feng cupped his hands, his expression calm, and replied, "Elder, it's true that I gave five stalks of Four-Leaf Orchid to Zhang Xiang this morning."

"Ah, so you admit it!" The elder slammed his hand down again. "Guards! Take Han Feng to the dungeon! His crime: poisoning the herbs and attempting to harm a fellow disciple! He will be tried at a later date!"

Han Feng's expression turned cold. It was clear that this elder was in league with the Ye family.

The Ye family was playing both judge and executioner, weren't they?

But before Han Feng could protest, a voice rang out from the entrance.

"Since when does the Enforcement Hall arrest people without hearing both sides of the story?"

Han Feng turned to see Jiang Huayang walking in, followed by none other than Jiang Surou, who was holding the little fox in her arms. Jiang Huayang had a jade slip in his hand, seemingly recording everything happening.

Behind them were several other Enforcement Hall disciples.

"Jiang Huayang? This is the Luoxia Peak branch of the Enforcement Hall. What are you doing here?" the elder said darkly, his voice dripping with displeasure.

Jiang Huayang smiled faintly. "Greetings, Elder Ye. As I recall, Elder Tie Lian, our upright Enforcement Hall leader, explicitly stated that all trials conducted by the Hall must be transparent and fair, with any disciple allowed to observe. Anyone may bring forth evidence in defense of the accused. This ensures that justice is served impartially, correct?"

"That's true, but what of it?"

"Then I'm simply here to observe, as is my right under the rules."

"Hmph, fine. But don't disrupt the proceedings!" Elder Ye growled.

"The one causing a disruption here is you, Elder Ye," Jiang Huayang shot back coldly. "First of all, according to Enforcement Hall rules, a disciple can only be detained after they have confessed or signed a statement of guilt. We've barely begun the trial, there's insufficient evidence, and Han Feng hasn't confessed or signed anything. Yet you're already ordering his arrest. Elder Ye, you're the one breaking the law."

"Second," Jiang Huayang continued, "the rules state that a judge must recuse themselves from any case involving their kin or direct connections. The presiding judge must have no familial or master-disciple ties to either the plaintiff or defendant. You, Elder Ye, have violated this rule."

"Third, any Enforcement Hall disciple has the right to arrest someone who breaks the law. Elder Ye, I've recorded everything you've done. You've knowingly violated the rules, and therefore, your crime is greater."

Jiang Huayang turned and addressed the gathered disciples, "Seize Elder Ye and take him to Elder Tie Lian for judgment!"

"Yes!" the disciples responded in unison, moving to detain Elder Ye.

Elder Ye's face twisted in fury as he shouted, "I am a Core Formation expert, a judge of the Enforcement Hall! Who dares to lay a hand on me?"

"Resisting arrest will only add to your crimes!" Jiang Huayang sneered. "What's the matter, Elder Ye? Shall I call for other Core Formation elders to come arrest you?"

Elder Ye's expression darkened. He gritted his teeth and growled, "Hmph, at worst, I'll be fined for my mistakes. You'll regret this, Jiang Huayang. And don't forget—you're related to Han Feng by marriage. You have no right to be involved in this trial either!"

"Don't worry, Elder Ye, I'm just here as an observer," Jiang Huayang replied with a cold smile.

With that, a group of Foundation Establishment disciples moved in and escorted Elder Ye away.

It was almost unthinkable for Foundation Establishment disciples to arrest a Core Formation elder in most sects. But here in the Yin-Yang Sect, the Enforcement Hall had the authority to do so, thanks to the iron-handed leadership of Elder Tie Lian—who was known for his strict and impartial enforcement of the law.

Ye Longyuan stared in disbelief. His plan had been to swiftly have Han Feng imprisoned and tortured until he coughed up a confession. But he never expected the Jiang family to act so quickly, turning the tables by having their family elder arrested instead.

The judge had become the criminal.

Ye Longyuan's face darkened. Not only had he failed to deal with Han Feng, but now he had lost an elder in the process.

This was a disaster.

He was going to get scolded for this back home, without a doubt.

Still, at least the evidence was solid. Even if they changed judges, Han Feng would still be found guilty and locked away.

Chapter 28

After Elder Ye was taken away, a disciple was sent to request another elder to preside over the trial.

Meanwhile, the hall became eerily quiet, almost oppressively so, with a heavy tension lingered in the atmosphere. On one side stood Ye Longyuan, Ye Longzhao, and Ye Yuntang. On the other side were Han Feng, Jiang Surou, and Jiang Huayang.

Jiang Surou glanced over at Ye Longyuan and finally broke the silence.

"Ye Longyuan, what are you even doing here?"

Ye Longyuan smiled widely, his eyes narrowing, clearly pleased. "If I'm not mistaken, this is the first time you've ever initiated a conversation with me, isn't it, Junior Sister Jiang?"

"Ugh." Jiang Surou rolled her eyes. She had no patience for his sycophantic behavior.

Ye Longyuan, oblivious to her disdain, continued, "This matter doesn't actually concern me, but I'm here to observe. After all, both Ye Longzhao and Ye Yuntang are my cousins. One is an alchemist, and the other took the pill, so naturally, I came to see how things play out. But what brings you here, Junior Sister? This has nothing to do with you, does it?"

Jiang Surou, being her usual cold self, didn't even bother responding to Ye Longyuan. She had only spoken to him because she knew he was the one behind Han Feng's troubles, and it made her dislike him even more.

Seeing Jiang Surou fall silent, Jiang Huayang stepped forward and answered in her stead.

"Han Feng is my sister's Dao partner. Naturally, she would come to his aid. After all, she carefully selected him as her ideal match. We can't let some petty villains frame him, can we?"

Hearing the words "ideal match," both Ye Longyuan and Jiang Surou's eyes widened in shock.

Jiang Surou was stunned.What? Everyone knows I only chose Han Feng out of necessity. How on earth does my brother think I carefully chose him?

Meanwhile, Ye Longyuan was equally bewildered. Why does Jiang Huayang think so highly of a mere servant disciple, especially one who was a complete waste?

You're her biological older brother! As her brother, shouldn't you have a natural dislike for her Dao partner? Shouldn't you be protective of your sister and suspicious of her choices?

Ye Longyuan took a deep breath, trying to calm himself before speaking again. "Senior Brother Jiang, as a disciple of the Enforcement Hall, you should be careful with your words. Who, exactly, are you calling a villain?"

"Whoever the villain is, they know in their heart," Jiang Huayang replied coolly. "If someone here isn't guilty, why would they feel the need to defend themselves? I wasn't addressing you, Brother Ye, unless you think you're the one who set this up to frame my sister's Dao partner?"

Jiang Huayang's tone dripped with sarcasm as he added, "I mean, seriously, there are those who, instead of competing honorably for a Dao partner, resort to underhanded tricks. After multiple failed attempts to assassinate someone, they turn to schemes and false accusations. Honestly, who raised such characters? Disgraceful."

Jiang Surou shot up from her seat, her eyes flashing angrily. "Brother! What are you saying? Ye Longyuan tried to have Han Feng assassinated? And more than once?"

Jiang Huayang and Han Feng exchanged a quick glance, both inwardly wincing. Oops, the secret's out.

Han Feng quickly tried to calm her down. "Haha, Senior Sister, no need to worry. It wasn't a big deal—just two small attempts. Senior Brother Jiang was there to help me out both times. He's done me a great favor."

"Yeah, exactly," Jiang Huayang chimed in, patting Han Feng on the shoulder. "After all, he's my brother-in-law. Of course, I'd help him."

Jiang Surou looked between the two, confused. Since when did these two get along so well?

Meanwhile, Ye Longyuan sneered, "Hmph. Be careful throwing around baseless claims. If you slander someone without proof, they can accuse you of false charges, you know. Let's focus on the matter at hand. My cousin used the herbs that Han Feng grew to refine pills, and my other cousin took those pills. He got hurt, maybe even poisoned. Now, who should be held responsible for that?"

Han Feng snorted. "Ye Longyuan, your accusation is baseless. The herbs I handed over were perfectly fine, and they were personally inspected by Zhang Xiang, who signed off on their quality. If anything went wrong, it's probably because your so-called alchemist didn't know what he was doing and used his cousin as a guinea pig. If that's the case, who's really to blame?"

Just then, an elder from the Enforcement Hall walked in, speaking as he entered.

"I am Elder Wang, and I will be the presiding judge for this case. I've overheard some of your discussions. Now, present your evidence so I may review it."

Elder Wang seated himself at the head of the room.

Ye Longzhao immediately stepped forward, placing three documents and a bottle of pills on the table. "Elder, these are the three key pieces of evidence. The first is the receipt showing that Zhang Xiang collected the herbs from Han Feng. It has Han Feng's signature on it.

"The second is the record from Danxia Peak's storeroom. It confirms that the herbs were sent by Han Feng.

"The third is the document showing that the herbs were taken from the storeroom by me, with both my signature and the signatures of those in charge of the storeroom.

"The evidence is clear. The herbs came from Han Feng. Five stalks of Four-Leaf Orchid were used to refine five Qi Condensation Pills. Ye Yuntang consumed one, and the remaining four are right here."

Han Feng glanced at the documents and pills laid out on the table. Quite the perfect chain of evidence, he thought. You're really going all out to frame me.

Elder Wang looked over the documents and nodded. "Very well. Han Feng, where is your evidence?"

At this point, Han Feng took out the document that Zhang Xiang had signed earlier. Frankly, Han Feng had been holding off on presenting this evidence, wary of the elder's potential collusion with the Ye family. But now that Jiang Huayang was present, he felt it was safe to play his hand.

Han Feng placed the signed document on the table and said, "Elder, this is the receipt that Senior Brother Zhang Xiang gave me when he collected the herbs. It clearly states that he personally inspected the herbs and confirmed their quality. He signed it and left his fingerprint."

Elder Wang nodded and turned to Zhang Xiang. "Zhang Xiang, is this your signature?"

Zhang Xiang stood and responded, "Yes, Elder, I did write the receipt, and I did collect the herbs from Han Feng."

Elder Wang nodded again and commented, "Well then, it seems we can confirm that the herbs Han Feng provided were inspected and deemed to be of good quality—"

"No, that's not true!" Zhang Xiang interrupted loudly.

Han Feng's eyes narrowed instantly.

Chapter 29

This guy… he's willing to throw himself under the bus just to drag me down with him. How reckless. Han Feng thought as he watched Zhang Xiang continue with his fabricated story.

Zhang Xiang, standing tall and speaking loudly, said, "Elder, when I worked at Danxia Peak, I handled the collection of herbs, but never was I required to personally inspect their potency. Today, when I was assigned to Luoxia Peak, I went to collect herbs from Junior Brother Han. He insisted that I inspect the herbs myself.

But I'm merely a servant overseer. How would I know how to check the potency of herbs? I've never learned such things. It was my very first day on the job, and I was under pressure to collect the herbs. If I didn't bring them back, I would've been punished by the elders. Han Feng wouldn't give me the herbs without an inspection, so I went along with it, pretending to inspect the herbs and signing the document.

Later, I asked other servant disciples, and they told me that no such rule exists here on Luoxia Peak. Han Feng clearly tried to take advantage of my ignorance as a new overseer to shift the blame onto me. Elder, I've been wronged! Han Feng is trying to frame me!"

Elder Wang frowned, his face darkening as he replied, "Even if that's the case, you still committed the sin of falsifying records by signing a document saying you inspected the herbs. That alone is a dereliction of duty!"

"Yes, yes. I accept my punishment," Zhang Xiang quickly agreed.

Han Feng, however, maintained his composure and bowed respectfully. "Elder, I have always required that anyone collecting my herbs inspect their potency and sign off on it. Previously, Boss Ma was the one who handled this, before he disappeared and Zhang Xiang replaced him.

I believe that inspecting the herbs is an essential responsibility for those collecting them. After all, once the herbs leave my hands, I no longer have control over them. What if the collector switches out the good herbs for bad ones, or even poisons them? I can't be held accountable for what happens after they're out of my possession.

In this case, Zhang Xiang could have tampered with the herbs after taking them, or perhaps the alchemist was incompetent and made a mistake during the refining process. Either way, I am not to blame. I have evidence that Zhang Xiang confirmed the herbs were fine before signing the document."

Zhang Xiang sneered, "Hmph! Whether or not you accept responsibility isn't up to you. And as I said before, there's no rule in our sect requiring the overseer to inspect the herbs. So the document I signed is invalid. I don't recognize it."

Elder Wang raised a hand to stop the bickering. "Enough. You've both had your say, and you've both presented your evidence. Now, I will personally inspect the pills to determine whether or not they are poisonous."

With that, Elder Wang uncorked the bottle of Qi Condensation Pills and poured one into his palm. Without hesitation, he swallowed the pill.

What kind of caveman method is this for testing poison? Han Feng thought, watching the elder with exasperation.

After a few moments, Elder Wang nodded and said, "Indeed, the pill is poisoned."

Upon hearing this, Ye Yuntang immediately jumped up, pointing a finger at Han Feng and shouting, "Han Feng, you bastard! You scum! What more needs to be said? It was your poisonous herbs that did this! You wanted to kill me! Five herbs made five pills—were you planning to kill five people?

Elder, I beg you to arrest this villain and subject him to severe punishment! He's malicious, plotting to harm his fellow disciples. He should have his cultivation destroyed and be expelled from the sect!"

Elder Wang sat back in thought, contemplating how to proceed with the case.

At that moment, Jiang Surou stepped forward and spoke calmly, "Elder, I, too, am a mid-grade alchemist, and I am quite familiar with the process of refining Qi Condensation Pills.

There are three recognized recipes for this pill. One of these recipes calls for the use of Four-Leaf Orchid, in combination with four other ingredients: Golden Ice Flower, two taels of Qi-Seeking Root, five qian of Spirit Grass Ash, and one stalk of Fangzhen Orchid.

How, then, can you be so sure that the issue lies specifically with the Four-Leaf Orchid?

Furthermore, even if the problem did originate with the Four-Leaf Orchid, that herb has already passed through three sets of hands. First, it was in Han Feng's care, then it was handed to Zhang Xiang, then it was stored at Danxia Peak's herb repository, and finally, it was given to Alchemist Ye Longzhao before being used in the pill. Any one of these individuals could have tampered with the herb, so why automatically blame Han Feng?

If you really want to get to the bottom of this, you should be detaining everyone who handled the herb, including the alchemist. After all, this is within the safety of our sect, where the procedures are relatively few. If you bought herbs from a market stall and something went wrong, who would you even hold accountable?"

Jiang Surou's voice was sharp as she continued, "I believe the responsibility lies with the person at the end of the chain—the alchemist himself.

An alchemist should take full responsibility for every pill they produce, ensuring its quality and safety. An alchemist should inspect every herb before using it in their refining process.

Think of it this way: if you eat something at a restaurant and fall ill, do you blame the farmer who grew the vegetables, or do you hold the chef and the restaurant responsible?

Once the herbs are sold to the alchemist, the responsibility for their use no longer lies with the cultivator who grew them. If there was something wrong with the herbs, the alchemist should have rejected them.

So, why is it that Ye Longzhao, the alchemist who made the pills, is not being held responsible? This is utterly laughable! If Han Feng is to be punished for supplying the herbs, then everyone involved in the supply chain—from start to finish—must also be held responsible. That includes the alchemist.

And if we're going to be this meticulous, then we should all follow the chain of custody from the moment the herbs are picked to the moment they're refined into pills. If that's the case, then we'll need to stand over every single person, watching them very carefully.

If someone takes a month to consume the pill, we'll need to watch them for a month. If they take ten years, we'll need to watch them for ten years. Is that how it should be?"

Elder Wang chuckled, shaking his head. "That would be ridiculous."

Jiang Surou pressed on. "Exactly. The only way to prevent this kind of situation is to ensure that every person in the chain of custody takes responsibility for their part. The last person in the chain—in this case, the alchemist—should be the one held accountable for ensuring the final product is safe.

And what if the person who took the pill poisoned themselves afterward just to frame the alchemist?"

Elder Wang sighed, "Human nature can be unpredictable. There's no surefire way to guard against that."

"Precisely," Jiang Surou agreed. "So if an alchemist's pills are faulty, but instead of holding the alchemist responsible, we blame the cultivator who grew the herbs, it's nothing short of absurd.

If the cultivator is to be blamed, then everyone in the chain of custody should be blamed even more because they failed to inspect the herbs before using them. If you claim that the collector didn't know how to inspect them, then what about the alchemist? Does the alchemist not know how?"

Jiang Surou's eloquence left the hall utterly speechless. The people present were wide-eyed, unable to respond to her impeccable logic.

Chapter 30

Jiang Huayang chuckled in surprise, "Not bad, little sister. You're usually so quiet, but when you open your mouth, you really know how to debate."

"For the sake of your 'beloved brother-in-law,'" Jiang Surou retorted, rolling her eyes dramatically.

Elder Wang mulled over her words for a moment before speaking seriously, "What the disciple said is very reasonable. This case is quite unique, and we've never had a precedent like this.

I will report this to Elder Tie Lian and the head of Danxia Peak to discuss revising the regulations. I believe the entire supply chain should bear responsibility at every step to ensure that no one is unfairly blamed. If the collector is held accountable, then servant disciples like Han Feng won't be held responsible unnecessarily. If something goes wrong at any stage, the person involved at that stage should be the one held accountable.

As for the pills, I will send them to the elders of Danxia Peak for further analysis to determine whether the issue lies with the herbs, the ratio of ingredients, or perhaps the alchemical process. I am not an expert in alchemy, so I won't make any hasty conclusions.

However, even if it's confirmed that the problem was with the Four-Leaf Orchid, that doesn't automatically make Han Feng responsible. Too many hands have touched the herbs along the way, and any of them could have tampered with them. There is no conclusive evidence to accuse anyone of poisoning them.

Based on the presumption of innocence, Han Feng is acquitted of all charges.

Additionally, since Alchemist Ye Longzhao produced the tainted pills that harmed Ye Yuntang, he bears responsibility for the outcome. Ye Longzhao will be detained until the truth is uncovered, and a proper judgment can be made."

At this, the three members of the Ye family were left completely speechless.

What?! They had come here to frame Han Feng, but instead, one of their elders had been arrested, and now another member of their family, Ye Longzhao, was about to be taken into custody as well?

Ye Yuntang quickly stepped forward, panicked, and sputtered, "Elder, this is all Han Feng's fault! He holds a grudge against our family, so he must have poisoned the herbs to get back at us!"

"Oh, really?" Elder Wang's eyes narrowed. "How would Han Feng know that the herbs would end up at Danxia Peak, be taken by your family, used in refining, and then consumed by your family members? Unless, that is, you're saying your family had complete control over the entire process from the start, ensuring that Han Feng's herbs ended up in your hands just to set him up?"

Ye Yuntang stammered, "N-no, Elder, I-I was just speculating… I don't have any evidence… It was just a wild guess."

"A wild guess? And from that, you decided to file false accusations against him? You don't even seem to be that badly injured for someone who supposedly suffered from a poisoned pill."

Ye Longyuan was standing beside Ye Yuntang, signaling with his eyes for him to stop talking.

"Yes, yes," Ye Yuntang stuttered, "I wasn't seriously hurt, and… and the poison wasn't that bad. Please don't punish Ye Longzhao; he's innocent."

Ye Longyuan rubbed his forehead in frustration, wishing he could kick Ye Yuntang for being such an idiot.

Ye Longzhao, for his part, remained silent. He knew full well that the issue was with the herbs and not his alchemy. At worst, they would charge him with negligence for not inspecting the herbs thoroughly, and he would just have to pay a fine to get out of it.

But Ye Yuntang, with his big mouth, had turned a simple incident into a much bigger mess by making it about conspiracy and false accusations.

He's ruined it. What could have been a minor issue has turned into a full-blown disaster because of his stupidity.

Elder Wang slammed his hand down on the table and barked, "If you weren't really injured, then why did you file a complaint? Why falsely accuse Han Feng? What were your motives?"

"I… I…"

Ye Yuntang opened and closed his mouth, utterly lost for words.

The elder continued, "Furthermore, I personally tested the pill, and it was indeed poisoned. However, the poison has no significant effect on someone of my Core Formation level.

Ye Longzhao's pills are clearly faulty, and as for you, Ye Yuntang, your inconsistent claims, false accusations, and lack of evidence make you highly suspicious. You and Ye Longzhao will both be detained for further questioning. Court adjourned!"

With that, the Enforcement Hall disciples moved forward to detain Ye Longzhao and Ye Yuntang.

Ye Yuntang began to panic, shouting, "Brother Longyuan, help me! Please, help me!"

Ye Longzhao remained silent, knowing that the problem was with the herbs and not his alchemical process. He expected only a fine or a reprimand at most. Still, Ye Yuntang's idiocy had blown the whole situation out of proportion, turning what should have been a simple investigation into a scandal of conspiracy and malpractice.

The once-clear outcome had been muddied beyond repair, thanks to Ye Yuntang's loud mouth.

As the hall emptied, Zhang Xiang bowed slightly to Ye Longyuan and quickly made his exit.

Ye Longyuan's face was dark, his expression brewing with anger.

His father had given him a brilliant plan, a foolproof strategy. Yet here he was, having managed to involve not only a family elder but now also Ye Longzhao and Ye Yuntang.

His father's clever plan to secure the future had ended in losing both an elder and a relative. It was a complete disaster.

Ye Longyuan's fury was palpable. He glared across the room at Han Feng, Jiang Surou, and Jiang Huayang, his eyes burning with hatred.

This *dog servant disciple*, this *waste*, had caused him loss after loss. Four attempts, all of them failures, and each one more disastrous than the last.

Now, what had once been mere annoyance had festered into full-blown hatred.

With a cold sneer, Ye Longyuan spat, "Well played, Junior Brother Han. First, your Senior Brother Jiang helped you out, and this time, your Senior Sister Jiang has come to your rescue. But what about next time? Or the time after that? How many more people will come to your aid?

You should start sleeping with one eye open. And when you walk alone at night, you should take a companion. Otherwise, who knows whether tomorrow or an unfortunate accident will come first?"

Han Feng sneered right back at him. "Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother Ye. My life is going just fine. But as for you, the more evil deeds you commit, the closer you come to your downfall. You might want to be careful walking around at night yourself. It's easy to fall into a ditch when the night is dark and the wind is strong."

"Fine. Let's see what happens." Ye Longyuan turned to leave but paused at the door. His face softened as he looked at Jiang Surou. "Junior Sister Jiang, I won't give up on you. Even if you have a Dao partner now, I'll wait. Even if you get married, I'll wait for the day you separate. Cultivators live long lives, and I can wait. One day, you'll see that I'm the right man for you."

Jiang Surou rolled her eyes. "Get in line behind the dog."

Ye Longyuan's face turned an ugly shade of green. He clenched his fists, holding back his anger, before finally letting out a cold grunt and storming out of the hall.

After he left, Jiang Huayang and Han Feng burst into laughter.

Jiang Surou shot them both an exasperated look. "What's so funny? It's obvious that Ye Longyuan has it out for you, Han Feng. We need to come up with a way to deal with him."

—-

T/L Note:

The phrase "你排狗后面" (nǐ pái gǒu hòu miàn) in the original title, as said by Jiang Surou, literally translates to "You rank behind the dog." In Chinese, this is a sharp insult, implying that the person being addressed is less significant or even less worthy than a dog. Traditionally, dogs are often viewed as lower in status, so to be placed behind one represents a complete lack of respect.

Chapter 31

Jiang Huayang chuckled, "Oh? 'Deal with him'? And how exactly are we going to do that? Like Han Feng said, should we hire someone to assassinate him? That's not realistic."

"First of all, Ye Longyuan is at the eighth layer of Qi Refining. Secondly, he's the legitimate heir of the Ye family and probably has several defensive treasures on him, not to mention bodyguards from the Ye family protecting him from the shadows.

If we wanted to assassinate him, we'd have to do it swiftly. But to defeat someone as well-protected as an eighth-layer Qi Refining cultivator, even a ninth-layer cultivator wouldn't be enough. We'd need a Foundation Establishment expert.

However, if we send a Foundation Establishment cultivator to assassinate him, the enormous spiritual energy fluctuations would immediately alert the elders of the Enforcement Hall. They'd send Core Formation powerhouses to investigate, and our assassin would be as good as dead.

Sacrificing a precious Foundation Establishment cultivator for a mere Ye Longyuan isn't worth it, and the family wouldn't approve."

Jiang Surou snorted, "I'm sure this is more about you not approving, oh righteous disciple of the Enforcement Hall."

Jiang Huayang grinned. "You're right. I wouldn't approve either. I don't allow anything that violates the law.

As things stand, the only legitimate opportunity we have is at the Ancestor's Ceremony. That's when we can openly challenge him.

The Ye family will certainly band together, but the sect is full of various factions—familial, master-disciple, peak alliances… It's rare to see anyone fighting alone.

When the time comes, the younger generation of our Jiang family will gather as well. We'll unite, and we can even recruit members of smaller factions to stand against the Ye family."

Jiang Surou rolled her eyes. "Going by your logic, it's more likely that the Ye family will wipe us out first. Don't you think they'll form alliances with other groups too?"

"They won't," Jiang Huayang replied confidently. "If it escalates to the point where hundreds of people are fighting, the sect won't just stand by. Besides, the Ye family wouldn't risk starting a full-scale conflict with our Jiang family just over a few juniors.

The most likely outcome is that our Jiang family's younger generation will clash with the Ye family's, or no fight will break out at all.

After all, Ye Longyuan's target is Han Feng, not us."

Jiang Surou thought for a moment, then turned to Han Feng. "Han Feng, when the time comes, just stick close to me. Wherever I go, you go. I'd like to see if Ye Longyuan has the guts to attack me directly."

"Haha, many thanks for the protection, Senior Sister. I'll be relying on you during the Ancestor's Ceremony," Han Feng said cheerfully, cupping his hands in respect.

"There's no need to thank me. All the trouble you've faced is because of me, so I'll see this through and take responsibility. In the meantime, focus on your cultivation. After all, strength is what matters in the Ancestor's Ceremony.

I'll also be training hard. I aim to break through to the eighth layer of Qi Refining before the ceremony. That way, I'll be more confident when facing Ye Longyuan."

Just as Jiang Surou was about to leave, Han Feng called out, "Senior Sister, wait a moment."

"What is it?" she asked, turning back.

Han Feng reached into his storage pouch and pulled out a stalk of White Lingluo Flower. Handing it to her, he said, "This is a White Lingluo Flower, aged over thirty years. I don't know much about alchemy, but you do, Senior Sister. Please take it and use it to boost your cultivation."

"You're giving me more herbs again? I can't accept this. You've already given me plenty. If I keep taking things from you, I won't have anything to give you in return," Jiang Surou protested, shaking her head.

"I don't know alchemy. This precious herb would be wasted if I kept it. You can refine it into pills and make better use of it."

Just as Jiang Surou was about to refuse again, Jiang Huayang smoothly took the flower from Han Feng's hand and placed it into his sister's. "Come on, just take it already. He's your brother-in-law—it's all in the family. He grows herbs, you refine them into pills. It's simple. Honestly, watching you two argue is annoying."

Jiang Surou looked at the White Lingluo Flower in her hand and sighed. "Alright, fine. I'll take it. This herb is primarily used to make Bloodthirst Pills. While it won't help with cultivation directly, it can significantly boost combat strength in a short period, making it excellent for battle."

She stored the White Lingluo Flower in her pouch.

Inside Han Feng's mind, a familiar voice chimed in:

[Han Feng has gifted a 38-year-old White Lingluo Flower to his Dao partner. You have received a tenfold return: 380-year-old White Lingluo Flower. Would you like to claim it?]

"Not right now," Han Feng mentally replied.

Jiang Surou was about to leave again when Han Feng stopped her once more.

"Senior Sister, just one more thing."

"What now?"

"Isn't it time for you to return my little fox?"

Han Feng looked pointedly at the adorable creature nestled in Jiang Surou's arms.

Jiang Surou's expression turned slightly awkward as she rolled her eyes at Han Feng, then reluctantly handed the little fox back to him. "Take her, take her. I never planned to steal your spirit pet."

"You're lying! You totally wanted to keep me!" the little fox teased with a playful grin, sticking out her tongue.

"You cheeky little—" Jiang Surou raised a fist playfully, pretending to threaten the fox.

"Bleh, I'm not afraid of you!" The little fox wiggled happily, clearly enjoying the playful banter.

Jiang Surou couldn't help but smile before turning and flying off on her sword.

Once again, her plan to snatch the little fox had failed.

Han Feng knew that Jiang Surou had a soft spot for the fox and had probably been hoping to keep her for herself. He also knew that if he gifted the little fox to her, the Marriage Blessing would likely return him a more powerful spirit beast.

But Han Feng never saw the little fox as just a pet. To him, she was a friend—an intelligent, living being with her own will. He had too much respect for her to treat her as a mere possession or bargaining chip.

Jiang Huayang looked at Han Feng with a grin. "Well, have you made up your mind yet? Why not reveal your true strength and come train with our Jiang family? No one would dare try to assassinate you if you stayed with us."

"No, thank you. I prefer living freely, with no obligations to anyone," Han Feng declined with a shake of his head.

He knew that his Heavenly Wind Spirit Root, especially being of the rare wind attribute, would make him a prized asset for the Jiang family. They'd likely shower him with resources, eager to cultivate his potential. But none of that mattered—Han Feng couldn't cultivate on his own. His progress depended solely on his Dao partner. No amount of resources could change that.

Besides, cultivation was tiring. He much preferred the laid-back, carefree life of lying flat and enjoying the sun.

If he joined the Jiang family, he'd be tied to them, indebted to them for the resources they provided. That wasn't the life he wanted. He didn't want to be burdened by obligations or feel beholden to anyone. It would go against his philosophy of lying flat and living peacefully.

After Jiang Huayang left, Han Feng returned to his house, content with his decision.

Chapter 32

"Little Fox, what do you think? Should I sell this 380-year-old White Lingluo Flower for spirit stones, or should I have it refined into pills to use during the Ancestor's Ceremony?" Han Feng asked.

The little fox gazed at the massive White Lingluo Flower, which nearly filled the entire room, and after a moment of thought, replied, "First, tell me, where on earth did you get a 380-year-old herb?"

Han Feng continued, ignoring the question, "I don't really need spirit stones right now. But if I can have it refined into pills, it could give me a little extra security during the Ancestor's Ceremony, at least enough to face Ye Longyuan with some confidence."

The little fox narrowed her eyes, clearly annoyed by his evasiveness. "That's all well and good, but the real question is: where did you get such an old herb? Last time, you suddenly pulled out a Three-Needle Flower that was over 300 years old, and I found that suspicious."

Han Feng, still dodging her inquiry, said, "If I go to an alchemist at Danxia Peak, they might not help me, and I can't afford the alchemy fee, nor the cost of the additional herbs I'd need."

The little fox crossed her arms, tapping her paw impatiently. "That's a 380-year-old herb! In a small place like this, it's extremely rare. You're only eighteen—did you start growing this thing in a past life and carry the memory over?"

"I did hear there are alchemists at the market who will take materials and refine them for free, but they take a share of the final product. That might be an option," Han Feng continued, completely ignoring the little fox's question.

"Seriously! Where did this herb come from? You're a servant disciple, a broke nobody. How do you have access to herbs like this?" the little fox demanded, growing more frustrated by the second.

"But I don't even know the recipe. Maybe I should ask Senior Sister Jiang. She'd know. Or maybe I should just give the herb to her and have her refine it—wait, no, I can't explain where the herb came from…" Han Feng mumbled, lost in thought.

Fed up with his evasive answers, the little fox lunged at the massive herb, intent on biting into it.

But Han Feng, quick as ever, grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and lifted her into the air. "What are you doing?"

"What do you think? Are you even listening to me?!" the little fox snapped, her tiny paws flailing in frustration as she tried to kick him with her short legs.

Han Feng chuckled, amused by the sight, and said, "You don't need to know everything. Let's just say I have a secret."

"Of course I know you have a secret! Otherwise, why would you have been hiding your cultivation for so long?" the little fox retorted, hopping onto the table with an air of importance.

Her face was filled with suspicion, but her sharp eyes gleamed with intelligence as she continued her analysis. "The last time, you gave Jiang Surou a Thirty-Year-Old Three-Needle Flower. Then, later that night, you suddenly had a Three-Hundred-Year-Old Three-Needle Flower, which you sold to buy your formation and sword.

And now, you gave her a Thirty-Year-Old White Lingluo Flower, and once again, you have a Three-Hundred-Year-Old one in your hands.

I've figured it out! I know what's going on!"

Looking at the little fox, who seemed so pleased with herself, Han Feng let out a sigh. "Alright, I can't fool you. You're smarter than I thought. Let me tell you the truth…"

"The truth is that you don't give Jiang Surou the good stuff! You keep the best things for yourself and only gift her the lesser things. You don't love her at all, do you?" the little fox declared triumphantly, proudly wagging her tail as if she had just uncovered a great conspiracy.

Han Feng's face went blank. What in the…? You analyzed all that, and this is what you came up with?

Seeing that he was getting nowhere with this conversation, Han Feng decided to come clean. After all, the little fox lived with him and would likely see through his secrets eventually. It would be easier to just tell her the truth now rather than face constant questions later.

"Little Fox, remember how, the last time, you noticed that the Three-Hundred-Year-Old Three-Needle Flower I had didn't have any medicinal power?"

"Yeah, that was weird. It didn't work at all."

"This one is the same," Han Feng said, gesturing to the White Lingluo Flower.

The little fox's eyes widened. She immediately darted over to the flower and took a bite out of it, chewing thoughtfully before swallowing. Sure enough, there was no medicinal effect. "Huh? Why doesn't it work?"

"It's not that it doesn't have medicinal power; it's just that it only works for me."

After a brief pause, Han Feng explained, "Here's the truth: I have something in my mind—some sort of strange entity. Whenever I give a gift to a Dao partner, it returns something ten times better in value. Do you get it now?"

Joy danced in the little fox's bright eyes. "So, you give a Thirty-Year-Old herb, and it gives you a Three-Hundred-Year-Old one?!"

Realization dawned on her all at once. "Wait a minute. If you give the Three-Hundred-Year-Old herb, won't it give you a Three-Thousand-Year-Old herb in return? And then if you give that one, you'll get a Thirty-Thousand-Year-Old herb! We're going to be rich!"

Her eyes lit up with stars, as if she had just discovered a mountain of treasure.

Han Feng chuckled bitterly. "Yeah, well, clearly the entity thought of that too. There's a rule: the things it returns to me can't be gifted to anyone else, not even a Dao partner. If I give this herb to someone, it won't return anything to me.

The things it gives me can only be used by me. No one else can make use of them."

"So it's not that the herb has no medicinal power; it's just that it only works for you?" the little fox asked, frowning.

"Exactly. That's why we can't exploit it endlessly."

The little fox sighed, disappointed. "Well, that ruins the fun."

"There's still a way to make good use of it," Han Feng said. "For example, I can sell the herb for spirit stones, then use those spirit stones to buy something of equal value, which I can gift again. I'll get something ten times better, which I can sell for even more spirit stones, and then I can repeat the process. I can keep doing this and gradually climb up."

The little fox's ears perked up. "That still sounds like a great idea! Sure, it's a bit more complicated, but it could work!"

"It's not as good as it sounds," Han Feng replied, shaking his head. "First of all, as the value of the things I sell increases, people are going to start paying closer attention. Eventually, someone will figure out that the things I sell don't actually work. And when that happens, I'll have angered a lot of powerful people, and they'll come after me.

You can get away with doing something once or twice, but if you keep doing it, even a fool will realize something's wrong.

The second problem is that I can't actually cultivate. This entity doesn't just return gifts; it also returns Dao partner cultivation at ten times the rate. If I start abusing the system to farm spirit stones and gifts, I might anger the entity behind it. If it decides to take the blessing away, I'll be back to being a complete waste.

I spent five years as a waste, and it's only by sheer luck that I've found a way to improve myself and survive in this chaotic world of cultivation. I don't want to lose that. So, we can't take any unnecessary risks. Understand?"

Chapter 33

The little fox pondered for a moment before speaking.

"So, this Marriage Blessing thing you've got going on, it's not just some impersonal rule. There's actually a sentient being behind it, right? Someone or something powerful is controlling it?"

"Exactly," Han Feng confirmed.

"Then why is it helping you?"

"I don't know," Han Feng admitted. "Maybe it's because I was a useless waste. The purpose of the blessing seems to be to help me get stronger, not to help me make money. After all, whatever entity is behind it probably doesn't care about money.

I need to understand its intentions so I don't accidentally cross a line and lose its favor. That's the only way I can keep benefiting from it."

The little fox nodded in understanding. "I see why you're not selling the herb for spirit stones then. If you go back to that auction house too many times with these rare herbs, people are going to get suspicious. No one can keep pulling out century-old herbs like they're nothing, especially when they don't even work."

Han Feng agreed. "Exactly. The safest route would be to refine the herbs into pills myself. I could buy a pill recipe, give it to Jiang Surou, and then get a better recipe in return. But I don't know the basics of alchemy, and learning it isn't something I can do in a short time. With the Ancestor's Ceremony fast approaching, I need to figure out how to get this flower turned into pills quickly."

The little fox narrowed her eyes and smirked. "No, it's not that you don't have time. You're just lazy and want to lie flat instead of learning alchemy."

"I'm not lazy."

"You're totally lazy."

"Lying flat isn't the same as being lazy. Lying flat means enjoying life at your own pace. Tending to herbs is something I enjoy, and so is refining pills—if I could learn it. Lazy means doing nothing and not even caring. There's a difference," Han Feng explained.

The little fox rolled her eyes. "Fine, you win."

Han Feng might not have been motivated by ambition, but he wasn't someone who shirked his responsibilities either. Every herb in his garden was meticulously cared for, not out of duty, but because he found joy in the process.

"What I need now is the recipe for Bloodthirst Pills. Jiang Surou has it. I'll ask her."

Han Feng pulled out his communication jade slip but quickly realized that he didn't have Jiang Surou's communication imprint.

He turned to the little fox.

"You said you weren't lazy?"

"She likes you, so it's easier for you to talk to her. Go ask her."

"Five spirit stones."

"One spirit stone. I'm already running twice—two trips, two stones."

"Deal."

The little fox grabbed his jade slip, tucked it into her storage pouch, and dashed out the door, running up the mountain at full speed.

After she left, Han Feng stored the White Lingluo Flower, then returned outside to lie back in his chair and bask in the sun.

Half an hour later, the little fox returned, panting but triumphant.

"Mission accomplished," she announced, tossing the jade slip back to Han Feng. "I've added her communication imprint, and I got the recipe for Bloodthirst Pills.

Sister Surou said the recipe requires one White Lingluo Flower, three qian of Cold Tree Grass, one liang of Soft Armor Shell, and one qian of Pyrrole Stamen.

If the White Lingluo Flower is over thirty years old, the other ingredients need to be at least one year old to maintain the proper ratio, which will yield five Bloodthirst Pills.

If the White Lingluo Flower is over 300 years old, the other ingredients need to be at least ten years old, and the recipe will yield more than ten high-grade Bloodthirst Pills."

"Perfect. I've got all the necessary herbs that are over one year old," Han Feng said as he headed toward the herb garden.

"But your White Lingluo Flower is over 300 years old. You'll need herbs that are at least ten years old!" the little fox reminded him.

"I'll have them soon enough," Han Feng replied, his tone nonchalant.

He went into his herb garden and harvested the necessary herbs, carefully placing them on the table.

"Take these to her," Han Feng said.

"You're trying to get the tenfold return again, aren't you? You'll get ten-year-old herbs to match the White Lingluo Flower," the little fox said, catching on quickly.

"Smart," Han Feng said with a grin.

"I'm on it."

The little fox didn't waste any time, grabbing the herbs and running off to deliver them to Jiang Surou.

It wasn't long before Han Feng's mind was filled with the familiar voice of the *Marriage Blessing*.

[Han Feng has gifted his Dao partner one-year-old Cold Tree Grass, one liang of Soft Armor Shell, and one qian of Pyrrole Stamen. You have received a tenfold return: Cold Tree Grass, Soft Armor Shell, and Pyrrole Stamen, all aged ten years.]

Han Feng accepted the returned herbs and stored them in his pouch.

When the little fox returned, they both stretched out on the deck chair, enjoying the warmth of the sun. There was no rush to do anything. They could take care of the alchemy later, under the cover of night.

To avoid drawing too much attention, Han Feng knew he needed to find someone outside the sect to help him refine the pills. Sect members were too risky. If one of them tried the pills and found they didn't work, they'd come after Han Feng.

Later that night, after some careful preparations and donning a disguise, Han Feng packed the little fox into a bundle and set off.

After descending the mountain, he made inquiries in the nearest town and eventually found out about an alchemist who was perfect for the job.

The alchemist's name was Bai Nuo, a mid-grade alchemist who had once been part of Danxia Peak. However, he had been expelled from the sect for skimming off the top when refining pills for other disciples. Now, he lived in the town at the base of the mountain, offering his alchemy services to make a living.

His shady behavior had caught up with him, though. After he tried skimming again while refining pills in town, someone broke one of his legs. Since then, he had straightened out.

Han Feng chose Bai Nuo because the man was only at the Qi Refining stage and couldn't use his divine sense to scan Han Feng's appearance. This would keep everything discreet and avoid future complications.

After weaving through several back alleys, Han Feng finally arrived at a small, rundown house. He knocked on the door.

"Is Alchemist Bai Nuo home?"

A few moments later, the door creaked open, revealing a scruffy-looking young man. He squinted at Han Feng before asking, "Here for pill refinement?"

"Yes."

"Bring your own herbs. Two-eight split. I get two; you get eight."

"Deal."

"Come in."

Bai Nuo hobbled back into the house, his limp evident, and Han Feng followed.

Inside, Bai Nuo sat down in front of a small alchemy furnace. "What pills are you looking to make?"

"Bloodthirst Pills."

"Show me the herbs."

With a pat of his storage pouch, Han Feng laid out all the required herbs on the floor.

Bai Nuo's eyes widened slightly when he saw the massive White Lingluo Flower. "Wow, this flower must be over 300 years old."

"Three hundred and eighty," Han Feng corrected. "Can you handle it?"

Bai Nuo scoffed. "You can question my character, but don't you dare question my alchemy skills. I've been a high-grade alchemist for years. I just don't go back to the sect because I hate all their rules."

Without another word, he conjured a flame in his hand, sending it into the furnace to light the fire.

As he maintained the flame with his spiritual energy, he began placing the herbs in one by one. The White Lingluo Flower was divided into ten portions and added gradually.

Bai Nuo skillfully refined the herbs, extracting their medicinal essence and carefully fusing the ingredients with his spiritual energy, gradually nurturing the pills.

Han Feng watched the entire process intently, noting that Bai Nuo didn't skim a single herb.

It seemed that after losing a leg, Bai Nuo had indeed learned his lesson.

Chapter 34

Bai Nuo proved true to his claims—his skills in alchemy were indeed exceptional.

With all the ingredients thrown into the furnace at once, Bai Nuo managed to refine all ten Bloodthirst Pills in a single batch. Each pill emerged perfectly round, glowing with a faint dark-red hue, their potency evident.

When Bai Nuo placed the ten Bloodthirst Pills on the table, Han Feng's eyes immediately lit up with excitement.

"These herbs were incredible. The pills that came out are all high-grade Bloodthirst Pills, with stronger effects. They can increase the user's strength by one or even two minor stages," Bai Nuo said nonchalantly.

"As per our agreement, I take two pills, and you keep the other eight," Bai Nuo added, gesturing for Han Feng to take his share first to confirm the quality of the refinement.

"Thank you," Han Feng replied, taking eight pills and storing them in his pouch.

"You don't have a pill bottle? Without one, the potency of the pills will fade," Bai Nuo remarked and handed a pill bottle to Han Feng.

"Here, take it."

"Thanks again."

"No need for thanks. If you ever need more pills refined, come to me. I specialize in Foundation Establishment Pills. If you don't know the recipe, I can provide it. You can gather the materials, and I'll refine them for you. Just so you know, Foundation Establishment Pills come with a fifty-fifty split. You'll need to prepare two sets of ingredients to even things out."

"Got it. I'll come back if I need more pills."

Han Feng cupped his hands in thanks before leaving Bai Nuo's house.

As soon as Han Feng left, Bai Nuo pulled out his communication jade slip and said, "Hey, Ye family, the high-grade Bloodthirst Pills you requested are ready. Come pick them up when you're free."

Back in his courtyard, Han Feng rested easily. There were no unexpected encounters on the way home, and everything proceeded smoothly.

Once back, he went straight to sleep.

For the next few days, nothing significant happened. Ye Longyuan didn't come looking for trouble, and Jiang Surou went into seclusion to cultivate.

After refining her own batch of Bloodthirst Pills, Jiang Surou had locked herself away with a large pile of spirit stones, focusing on her cultivation.

Although she had recently broken through to the seventh layer of Qi Refining, the looming Ancestor's Ceremony forced her to hurry her progress. She didn't have the luxury of time and was determined to push herself through another breakthrough to increase her chances of securing an immortal opportunity.

Thus, during the two-week lead-up to the ceremony, Jiang Surou immersed herself in rigorous cultivation without a moment's rest, pushing her body and spirit to their limits.

Meanwhile, Han Feng spent his days tending to his garden, playing with the little fox, and lying on his deck chair basking in the sun. He lived in complete relaxation, enjoying his easy-going life without lifting a finger to train.

If Jiang Surou saw how leisurely Han Feng was living, she'd probably be so frustrated she'd want to beat him up on the spot.

While Jiang Surou slaved away in cultivation, Han Feng was contentedly lying around, waiting for his Dao partner to become powerful enough to give him a boost.

On April 30th, in the dead of night, Jiang Surou sat in the secret room of her pavilion, surrounded by a sea of spirit stones. Her eyes burned with determination.

After two weeks of intense cultivation and with her Heavenly Spirit Root, she had finally reached the peak of the seventh layer of Qi Refining. Now, she was ready to push herself into the eighth layer.

For someone with high talent, breaking through the Qi Refining stages wasn't particularly difficult. It was the later stages of cultivation that became increasingly hard.

Jiang Surou activated her cultivation technique, and the spiritual energy stored in the spirit stones around her began flowing toward her like streams of mist, swirling into her body and driving her toward the next breakthrough.

After half an hour, just as the spiritual energy in the stones was nearly depleted, Jiang Surou's eyes snapped open.

A powerful surge of energy exploded from her, sweeping through the secret room like a tidal wave.

She had done it.

She had successfully broken through from the peak of the seventh layer to the eighth layer of Qi Refining.

Looking at the ball of spiritual energy condensed in her hand, Jiang Surou muttered to herself, "Not bad. I made it just in time. I wonder if Han Feng has been diligently cultivating. Has he at least made it to the second layer of Qi Refining yet?"

She shook her head slightly, thinking about how Han Feng's five-year term as a servant disciple was almost up. Though he had finally opened his spirit veins, if he didn't become an outer disciple by eighteen, his future prospects would become much harder to achieve.

Sighing, she thought, If he can't make any progress on his own, I'll just have to ask the family for some resources and help him with some forced breakthroughs.

[Han Feng's Dao partner, Jiang Surou, has successfully broken through from the seventh to the eighth layer of Qi Refining. You have received a tenfold return of her breakthrough, increasing your cultivation level.]

As soon as the voice echoed in Han Feng's mind, a massive flood of spiritual energy surged into his body.

Han Feng practically leaped out of his chair in surprise, grabbing the little fox and rushing into his house. He immediately sat on his bed in a cross-legged position and began channeling the spiritual energy into his meridians, carefully guiding it through his body.

If he didn't properly channel the energy, his body would be overwhelmed, and he might even explode.

As he worked to absorb the sudden influx of power, his cultivation rapidly rose, breaking through from the seventh layer of Qi Refining to the eighth in no time.

But the energy didn't stop there. His dantian, acting like a vessel, continued to expand as it absorbed more and more spiritual energy. His cultivation surged, pushing him to the peak of the eighth layer and then straight into the ninth layer.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the rush of power slowed down, and Han Feng stabilized at the peak of the ninth layer of Qi Refining.

[Congratulations to Han Feng for successfully breaking through. Your current cultivation level: Qi Refining, Ninth Layer.]

With the ninth layer being the highest stage of Qi Refining, Han Feng's next step would be to condense his spiritual energy into a solid foundation, entering the Foundation Establishment stage.

Reaching Foundation Establishment would bring many benefits: his combat power would skyrocket, he'd be able to fly freely, and he'd unlock divine sense.

Han Feng grinned to himself, excitedly imagining the day when Jiang Surou would reach the ninth layer and he'd be able to break through to Foundation Establishment as well.

The little fox, sensing the massive change in Han Feng, asked in surprise, "Wow! You broke through! What layer are you at now?"

"Nothing special, just the peak of the ninth layer of Qi Refining," Han Feng replied modestly, picking the little fox up and heading outside to resume basking in the sun.

"Impressive! I can feel the difference in your aura. You seem… less sleazy than before. What changed?"

"Shut up. I wasn't sleazy. I just lacked confidence and didn't like interacting with people, that's all."

Han Feng settled into his deck chair, stretching out comfortably.

"Ha! You were totally sleazy. You didn't even have the guts to deliver gifts to your Dao partner in person, and you didn't dare suggest dual cultivation. What else would you call that?"

"If you keep running your mouth, I'll kick you out of here."

"Speaking of which, once you reach Foundation Establishment, you'll need a Foundation Establishment Pill. You can't cultivate on your own, so can you even advance without one?"

"Of course I can. I don't need to cultivate—I just need my Dao partner to break through. Once Jiang Surou hits the ninth layer of Qi Refining, I'll be able to reach Foundation Establishment naturally."

Han Feng was brimming with confidence, blissfully unaware that the future had some harsh lessons in store for him.

Chapter 35

May 1st.

This day was the liveliest in the entire Yin-Yang Sect, more important than even the New Year celebrations. It was the birthday of the Immortal Dao Patriarch, and on this day, the grand statue of the Immortal Dao Patriarch, which the sect worshipped, would open the Ancestor's Secret Realm, allowing disciples who had turned eighteen to enter and seize immortal opportunities.

Han Feng, with the little fox in his arms, was waiting at the gate near the foot of the mountain when he spotted Wang Mian approaching.

"Even Zhang Xiu can fly on her sword now. When are you going to put in some effort and reach the fifth layer of Qi Refining so I can fly with you?" Han Feng teased with a grin.

Wang Mian snorted, "Hmph! If not for you, I'd have let Zhang Xiu take me flying already. I saw you were walking, so I turned down her offer and came here to accompany you on foot."

Han Feng blinked, confused. "Wait, I thought you preferred walking, so I came down specifically to join you. Otherwise, I was going to have Jiang Surou fly me up."

The two stared at each other in silence for a few seconds.

After a brief pause, they both cursed each other, "You idiot!" before laughing and walking toward Yin-Yang Peak together.

Yin-Yang Peak was situated in the center of the twelve peaks of the Yin-Yang Sect, neither too far nor too close to Luoxia Peak.

As the name suggested, Luoxia Peak was the farthest to the west, while Zhaoxia Peak stood in the east.

The Ancestor's Ceremony didn't start until noon, so they had plenty of time to walk.

The little fox sat comfortably on Han Feng's shoulder, unconcerned about whether sitting there for too long might give him a sore neck.

As the two young men chatted during their walk, the journey passed by quickly.

"Han Feng, how much do you know about the Immortal Dao Patriarch?" Wang Mian asked curiously.

"Me? I know absolutely nothing. I'm always cooped up in my house. I don't wander around like you do."

Wang Mian had been waiting for this moment. Seeing Han Feng's lack of knowledge, he proudly began, "Well then, let me educate you. This Immortal Patriarch is a big deal, you know.

According to ancient records—"

"Which ancient records? You've never read any ancient records. This is all hearsay."

Wang Mian huffed, "According to the ancient records others have read, a long, long time ago—like millions of years ago—there were no immortal cultivators in the world at all. Humans practiced martial arts instead. But even through martial arts, the peak practitioners could fly through the sky and split mountains with their strength.

The Immortal Dao Patriarch, it is said, also had the surname Han. People called him Han Xian Zun, the first and greatest of all immortal cultivators!

In a world dominated by martial artists, he blazed a new path, creating the Dao of Immortals and becoming the first immortal cultivator. Isn't that amazing?

After becoming a powerful being, he swept through the martial world, unified the Nine Realms, and spread immortal techniques. He completely transformed a world that had been focused on martial arts into one centered around immortal cultivation.

Now, every cultivator in the world traces their lineage back to that one man.

Thanks to him, everyone has the potential to cultivate and achieve immortality.

That's why he's called the Immortal Dao Patriarch, the First Sage, and the Great Instructor—he's revered by all cultivators.

It's said that you can disrespect your teachers, your seniors, and even your ancestors—but you must never disrespect Han Xian Zun.

Anyone who dares to insult him will be hunted down by every cultivator, because Han Xian Zun is the common ancestor of all immortal cultivators."

At this point, Han Feng nodded and said, "Huh, well what do you know? Han Xian Zun and I share a surname."

"Shut up!" Wang Mian hissed, glancing around to make sure no one overheard. "You really have no filter, do you? Do you want to get yourself killed?"

After making sure they were alone, Wang Mian continued, "Han Xian Zun is not related to you. You're the one related to him. And anyway, with how many people share the surname Han, you can't claim anything."

"Haha, I don't care. It makes me better than you," Han Feng laughed.

Good friends always found ways to joke around with each other, making even the silliest things sound funny.

Wang Mian laughed too, then asked, "Do you know why, out of all the sects and countless factions that worship Han Xian Zun, it's only our Yin-Yang Sect's statue that can activate the secret realm and allow disciples to receive blessings from the Patriarch?"

"Why is that?"

"It's because only Yin-Yang Sect disciples can cultivate the Yin-Yang Harmonizing Technique. That technique is our sect's fundamental cultivation method, and everyone here learns it. Dual cultivation is especially beneficial for advancing in cultivation.

Legend has it that the Yin-Yang Harmonizing Technique was personally created by Han Xian Zun himself.

So, it's not that only Yin-Yang Sect disciples can enter the secret realm; it's that only those who have cultivated the Yin-Yang Harmonizing Technique can enter. You get it?"

"Ohhh, I see. So, this technique was created by the Immortal Patriarch himself? Haha, looks like Han Xian Zun wasn't such an upright figure after all. He made such a 'shady' technique!" Han Feng burst into laughter.

But as he laughed, a voice suddenly echoed in his mind—the voice of the Marriage Blessing.

[Han Xian Zun is the Supreme Deity, the omnipotent and most revered being, the savior of this world and its greatest protector, the creator of the Dao of Immortals. No one is worthy of tarnishing or slandering Han Xian Zun. You, least of all.]

"Uh… I was just joking! No need to take it so seriously, Ancestor Xin! Calm down!" Han Feng quickly replied in his mind, though he couldn't help but note how protective the entity was over Han Xian Zun's reputation.

With that strange exchange behind him, Han Feng and Wang Mian continued their lighthearted conversation as they made their way to the top of Yin-Yang Peak.

Yin-Yang Peak was the main peak of the Yin-Yang Sect and home to the sect leader and many powerful elders. At the very top of the peak, in front of the grandest hall, lay a vast plaza. In the center of the plaza stood an imposing statue—one that towered over everything around it.

The statue was painstakingly detailed and vibrantly colored, standing a hundred zhang tall.

It depicted a young man dressed in flowing white robes, his long black hair billowing in the wind. He was handsome and slender, with soft yet sharp features and a kind, gentle smile, like a loving elder teaching his juniors.

His left hand was placed behind his back, while his right hand was extended outward, holding eight colorful spheres.

This was Han Xian Zun—the Immortal Dao Patriarch, the First Sage, the common ancestor of all cultivators across the Nine Realms.

When Han Feng laid eyes on the statue, he felt an overwhelming sense of respect and reverence from deep within his soul. Given the figure's significance, such feelings were to be expected. But what surprised him was the warmth and affection he felt—there was no fear, only a deep sense of kinship. It was as if he wanted to kneel before the statue and listen to the elder's teachings.

Wang Mian stared up at the statue and remarked, "So this is Han Xian Zun. We could always see it from afar on Luoxia Peak, but today we finally get to see it up close."

Chapter 36

"Han Feng, come on, let's move closer and take a look," Wang Mian called back to him.

Han Feng shook his head firmly. "No, you should stay away from me."

Wang Mian looked at him with confusion. "What? Why?"

"There are too many people here. Keep your distance. Go find Zhang Xiu. And once we're inside the secret realm, don't come looking for me. If you see where I am, stay as far away as possible. You don't want the Ye family to notice you."

Han Feng had offended the Ye family, and they were likely to target him inside the secret realm. He didn't want to drag Wang Mian into the mess.

Wang Mian sighed, "What about you, then? What will you do?"

"I've got the Jiang family. They're stronger than you, and they can protect me just fine," Han Feng replied with a smile.

"Alright, fine. You've really latched onto a powerful branch this time. Too bad I'm too weak to help you out," Wang Mian replied, a hint of regret in his voice.

Han Feng patted him on the shoulder. "Just focus on keeping yourself safe. Don't get caught up in my mess—that's the biggest help you can give me."

With that, Han Feng turned and made his way toward the crowd.

As he made his way through the throng of people, Han Feng found the gathering of Jiang family disciples and approached them. It didn't take long for him to spot Jiang Surou among them.

"Sorry, Senior Sister Jiang. I'm a bit late," Han Feng said with a grin.

Immediately, all the 18-year-old Jiang family disciples turned their gazes toward Han Feng, scrutinizing him closely.

This guy? they thought. This servant disciple, this so-called "waste," is the one who won the heart of the most beautiful flower of our Jiang family?

How? What does he have? Is it his unremarkable appearance, or his useless, non-cultivatable body?

At that moment, it wasn't just the Jiang family disciples—everyone in the vicinity cast envious, jealous, and hateful glares at Han Feng.

Jiang Surou, the goddess of Luoxia Peak, wasn't just famous on her own peak. Her reputation spread throughout the entire Yin-Yang Sect. Everyone knew she was a peerless beauty, the epitome of an ice-cold goddess, admired from afar but never touched.

Many disciples, both outer and inner, harbored quiet dreams of her. But with Ye Longyuan's high-profile pursuit of Jiang Surou, most of these secret admirers couldn't help but compare themselves to him. When they measured Ye Longyuan's looks, family background, and cultivation aptitude against their own, they fell short and resigned themselves to defeat.

Even though Jiang Surou was breathtakingly beautiful, pursuing a Dao partner wasn't just about looks—it was also about one's own worth.

Between Ye Longyuan and Jiang Surou, everyone saw them as a perfect match. They were the embodiment of the golden couple, a union of looks, family prestige, and talent. Most people assumed they were destined to become Dao partners.

But no one, not even in their wildest dreams, expected that on the day of the matchmaking event last month, Jiang Surou would choose the unremarkable servant disciple, Han Feng, at the last minute.

It was unthinkable. Was the world blind? Or was Jiang Surou blind? How could a servant disciple like Han Feng get such a blessing?

Their dream goddess had been snatched away by this waste.

Losing to Ye Longyuan wouldn't have been embarrassing—after all, he was qualified. But losing to Han Feng? That was unacceptable. Any man with a spine, even a spirit beast from Spirit Beast Peak, would be better than this guy!

Jiang Surou, seemingly unfazed by the attention, reached over and lifted the little fox from Han Feng's shoulder. She cradled the fox in her arms with casual ease, as if she had done it countless times before. Gently stroking the fox's fur, she asked calmly, "Why are you so late? The ceremony is about to start."

"I had to climb the mountain, and I'm not exactly fast. I can't fly like you guys do," Han Feng replied with a laugh.

"You could have asked. I would've brought you here."

"Better not. Look at the way everyone's staring at me. I'd be torn to pieces if I flew in with you," Han Feng joked.

Jiang Surou chuckled softly at his words, not even bothering to glance at their surroundings as she continued playing with the little fox.

Han Feng reached over and patted the little fox on the head. "Can it enter the secret realm too?"

"Of course. Otherwise, how would the disciples from Spirit Beast Peak participate?"

This casual interaction left the nearby disciples absolutely dumbfounded, their minds reeling in disbelief.

Did Jiang Surou just laugh? they thought. The ice-cold goddess of Luoxia Peak, who was always aloof and untouchable, just laughed—because ofhim?

And the two of them—they're casually petting the same spirit beast?!

That little fox had been on Han Feng's shoulder just moments ago, and now it was in Jiang Surou's arms. Were they… raising it together?

What the hell? they thought. Just because you're her Dao partner, you think that gives you the right to be this close to her?

Wait, no—that's not okay either. Why are you her Dao partner in the first place?!

The male disciples around them were seething with jealousy. They wanted nothing more than to tear Han Feng apart.

And perhaps the one who wanted to tear him apart most of all was Ye Longyuan, standing not far away in the Ye family's group, his fists clenched tightly.

Since Han Feng's arrival, Ye Longyuan's gaze hadn't left him for even a second.

Before Han Feng appeared, Ye Longyuan hadn't even looked at Jiang Surou. But now that Han Feng was here, his eyes were fixed on the servant disciple.

Was this love?

Of course not.

It was jealousy, raw and unabashed. It was pure, seething hatred.

Ye Longyuan's feelings toward Han Feng had evolved from simple jealousy and disdain to something far more dangerous. After suffering repeated defeats at Han Feng's hands and causing his family to lose face, Ye Longyuan had been subjected to scoldings and punishments. He blamed all of his misfortune on Han Feng.

If not for Han Feng, none of this would have happened. His hatred for Han Feng had surpassed his affection for Jiang Surou.

Now, it wasn't about winning Jiang Surou back. Now, it was about revenge.

Yet, despite his burning hatred, Ye Longyuan didn't approach Han Feng to mock him or start a confrontation. Despite the occasional mocking glances from surrounding disciples, Ye Longyuan pretended to ignore them.

He had learned his lesson. He knew that exchanging a few barbed words now wouldn't help him. It would only make him look foolish.

Instead, he would wait until they were inside the secret realm. There, he would defeat Han Feng openly and utterly. He would cripple him, beat him senseless, and show everyone in the sect exactly what he was capable of.

Inside the secret realm, anything that happened would be projected to the outside. It was the most anticipated event of the year. Though only a few would participate, the majority of the sect would be watching.

When the time came, Ye Longyuan would defeat Han Feng in front of all the spectators, washing away his humiliation and restoring his honor.

Just the thought of it made Ye Longyuan's blood boil.

Han Feng, for his part, didn't spare Ye Longyuan a single glance. He continued playing with the little fox alongside Jiang Surou, not even bothering to greet the other Jiang family disciples.

He knew they didn't like him, so why bother trying to earn their favor?

His indifferent attitude only made the Jiang family disciples dislike him even more. They already thought he was arrogant, but now they saw him as even more insufferable—a mere servant acting high and mighty.

Finally, a bell tolled, and the crowd fell silent, all eyes turning toward the grand hall.

The sect leader of the Yin-Yang Sect had arrived.

Chapter 37

The Sect Leader of Yin-Yang Sect appeared to be in his middle years, his figure slim and his features sharp, dressed in traditional Daoist robes, exuding an air of ethereal serenity. Behind him followed a group of elders.

As soon as the Sect Leader emerged, all the disciples bowed respectfully, cupping their hands.

"Greetings, Sect Leader."

"At ease," the Sect Leader responded, standing in mid-air, looking down at his disciples with a gentle smile.

"You're all good children. Seeing you reminds me of my younger days—full of vigor and spirit, just like you are now.

You represent the new generation of our sect. With you, our sect will continue to thrive and pass down its teachings from generation to generation.

Today is the birthday of the Immortal Dao Patriarch, the day when the Ancestor's Secret Realm opens. This is the most important day for our sect.

When you enter the secret realm, you will see a statue of the Patriarch, identical to the one before you now.

Within the secret realm, Immortal Spirit Crystals will appear randomly, and you can compete to seize them.

Additionally, there will be many illusory spirit beasts, which will also appear randomly. Their strength varies, but most will be below the Foundation Establishment level. Occasionally, a lower Foundation Establishment-level beast will appear—this is when you must work together.

Defeating these spirit beasts will also reward you with Immortal Spirit Crystals.

The Spirit Crystals themselves have no use in cultivation, as everything within the realm is an illusion. However, the injuries you sustain from fighting each other or the beasts will be very real.

Once inside, you can kneel before the statue of the Patriarch and offer the Spirit Crystals you've collected to receive his blessing.

The blessings are completely random—no one knows what you might receive.

It could be a divine ability, a cultivation technique, a bloodline awakening, a direct increase in cultivation, or perhaps even a rare treasure.

The more Spirit Crystals you collect and the better you perform in battle, the higher your chances of receiving something valuable. It's all up to how well you perform.

However, there are a few rules that must be followed.

You may fight each other, but no killing is allowed. If anyone is found deliberately taking a life, the Enforcement Hall will deal with them harshly!

Also, if you find yourself outmatched or if you've already received a blessing, you can shout 'Exit,' and you'll be immediately transported out.

Remember, you only get one chance to make a wish for a blessing.

This entire process will be monitored. Elder Tie Lian, the head of the Enforcement Hall, will ensure that the rules are enforced fairly!"

As soon as the Sect Leader finished speaking, a stern-faced elder with a cold, imposing demeanor flew forward. His gaze swept over the disciples below like a hawk surveying its prey as he barked,

"Don't think I don't know what some of you are planning. If you're harboring personal grudges and want to use this opportunity to settle scores, go ahead. But if anyone dares to kill, I will personally hunt them down.

This is a special occasion, and the rules will be enforced even more strictly. If anyone dies due to foul play, I'll kill the murderer myself—no questions asked.

So, behave yourselves. You all know my reputation—whether you're from a prominent family or the disciple of a Nascent Soul powerhouse, I will show no mercy. I will kill without hesitation!"

Elder Tie Lian's reputation for being strict and unyielding in his enforcement of the rules was well-known throughout the sect. His words sent a chill down the spines of the disciples, reminding them that there would be no leniency for those who broke the rules.

The overall atmosphere of the Yin-Yang Sect was relatively clean, with little bullying or outright violence against weaker disciples. This was largely thanks to Elder Tie Lian, who single-handedly kept the sect's more unsavory elements in check.

The reason Han Feng had been able to stay in the sect after offending the mighty Ye family was because of this elder. In any other sect, Han Feng would have been killed a hundred times over by now.

The Sect Leader took over once more and declared, "I now announce that the Ancestor's Ceremony officially begins! All disciples, follow me and bow before the Ancestor!"

At his words, all the disciples knelt in unison. Even the elders who were flying in the air descended to a level below the head of the statue, kneeling in mid-air as they bowed toward the statue of Han Xian Zun.

After paying their respects, Han Feng stood up along with the rest of the disciples and looked up at the eight gleaming orbs in Han Xian Zun's hand. As they shimmered, a curtain of light descended from them.

"Disciples, step into the barrier and be transported into the secret realm!" the Sect Leader shouted, and immediately, the disciples at the front leaped forward, entering the light curtain and disappearing.

At the same time, the eight orbs in Han Xian Zun's hand projected beams of light into the sky, creating a giant display above the plaza.

Han Feng could see the projection clearly—it showed vast landscapes of grassy plains, forests, and hills, with disciples already appearing there.

He leaned over to Jiang Surou and whispered, "What are those eight orbs in the Patriarch's hand? Are they some kind of treasure?"

"It's said that they're the Patriarch's life-bound treasure, condensed from the essence of the universe itself. A one-of-a-kind ancient artifact," Jiang Surou replied.

"Then why aren't you worried about someone stealing them? Leaving something so valuable on a statue seems risky."

Jiang Surou gave him a look as if she were staring at an idiot. "Do you really think such a powerful ancient artifact would belong to a small sect like ours? The orbs on the statue are just part of a formation—they're modeled after the Patriarch's real treasure."

Han Feng nodded. It made sense. After all, the Yin-Yang Sect was a relatively small sect on the outskirts of the Heavenly Star Continent. If they truly had the Patriarch's treasure, the sect would be wiped out by powerful forces the moment the secret got out.

"Come on, stop dawdling," Jiang Surou called out, urging him forward.

The Jiang family disciples followed the flow of the crowd toward the barrier and stepped into the light.

With a flash, the scene before Han Feng changed. They found themselves standing on a lush green field, with forests and hills stretching out in the distance. The landscape was breathtakingly beautiful.

"Wow! So pretty! Look at those celestial cranes flying in the sky! I bet they'd taste great roasted!" the little fox exclaimed excitedly, pointing toward the sky.

Han Feng glanced up and saw a black-and-white celestial crane soaring above them.

Before he could even take a closer look, a flying sword shot up into the sky, cutting the crane down in an instant.

The one who had attacked was Jiang Surou.

With one swift strike, she shattered the crane into pieces, and it dissolved into shimmering motes of light. What remained was a golden crystal with faint red threads of energy, which floated down toward them.

The other disciples, seeing that it was Jiang Surou who had made the kill, didn't even attempt to fight for the Immortal Spirit Crystal. Instead, they flew off in different directions, eager to find their own chances at fortune.

This process was known as "seizing immortal opportunities."

Jiang Surou reached out and caught the crystal, examining it briefly before handing it to Han Feng.

"Here, take it. I don't want you to end up with nothing to offer the Patriarch. If you don't have at least one Immortal Spirit Crystal, you won't even get a blessing," she said calmly.

Chapter 38

Hearing Jiang Surou's seemingly cold and sarcastic words, which actually carried a hint of concern, Han Feng smiled slightly. Without saying a word, he accepted the Immortal Spirit Crystal she handed him.

Jiang Surou was naturally cold and aloof. Before becoming Dao partners with Han Feng, she hadn't known him at all, but she felt guilty for putting him in danger because of her choice. This guilt had driven her to offer him protective treasures, stand up for him when he was falsely accused, and now, even in the Ancestor's Secret Realm, she was actively protecting him.

If Jiang Surou truly detested Han Feng, she wouldn't have bothered to help him at all, let alone shield him from harm. But her personality was too cold, making it difficult for her to express her care clearly, and even her concern came off as distant or harsh.

But Han Feng understood her temperament and didn't take it to heart.

The little fox, staring at the Immortal Spirit Crystal in Han Feng's hand, jumped from Jiang Surou's arms into Han Feng's, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Quick, let me have a bite! I want to taste it!" she said eagerly.

"Taste what? It's just an illusion. Eating it won't do you any good," Han Feng replied, tucking the crystal into his storage pouch.

"Hmph! You're a bad person!" the little fox huffed, using the most "vicious" insult her tiny mind could come up with.

"Let's keep searching for more Spirit Crystals," Jiang Surou said, leading the group forward.

The little fox remained sulky, her lips pouted, clearly upset that she hadn't gotten to snack on the crystal.

The secret realm was vast—larger than Han Feng could comprehend, and certainly larger than the entire Yin-Yang Sect's territory. It contained all kinds of landscapes, but Han Feng hadn't seen the statue of their ancestor yet. When he asked Jiang Surou, she told him that the statue was located deep within the realm.

They had been randomly teleported into the realm in small groups, and the Jiang family's group consisted of just over twenty eighteen-year-olds.

As they slowly searched for more Spirit Crystals, the little fox suddenly darted off Han Feng's shoulder with a swift leap, dashing across the open field like a streak of lightning. In an instant, she was on top of a hill in the distance, her speed beyond comprehension.

"Little Fox, where are you going?" Han Feng called after her.

The little fox, standing atop the hill, proudly held up a glowing Spirit Crystal, her tiny paws gripping it tightly.

"Look! I found a crystal!" she shouted joyfully. Then, with no hesitation, she opened her mouth and crunched down on the crystal, chomping it to pieces before swallowing it. She licked her lips, clearly savoring the taste.

"Did she just… eat the Spirit Crystal?"

"What kind of spirit beast is this? It's so… fierce!"

"Wait, you can eat those things?"

The Jiang family disciples were utterly dumbfounded by what they had just witnessed.

In all the countless times the secret realm had been opened, no one had ever thought to eat the Spirit Crystals. Every group of disciples had diligently collected them, offered them to the statue, and prayed for divine blessings, terrified that offering too few crystals would result in a poor reward.

Some disciples had tried to keep a few extra crystals for themselves, but once they left the secret realm, the crystals vanished.

The little fox's actions were unprecedented. No one had ever realized that the crystals could be eaten.

Suddenly, the little fox glanced toward the other side of the hill, her eyes widening in fear. She bolted back toward Han Feng, her tiny legs moving at lightning speed as she shouted, "Bad people are coming! Lots and lots of bad people!"

She leaped into Han Feng's arms, trembling in fear.

Han Feng and the others looked up, and sure enough, a large group of people, numbering more than fifty, was flying toward them on their swords.

Leading the group was none other than Ye Longyuan.

Both Han Feng and Jiang Surou's expressions darkened. They hadn't expected Ye Longyuan to find them so quickly, and with so many people in tow.

As Ye Longyuan's group descended, the Jiang family disciples drew their weapons and prepared for a confrontation.

Jiang Surou took a step forward, positioning herself in front of Han Feng. "Stay behind me," she said firmly.

Her determined voice, coupled with her graceful yet resolute stance, deeply moved Han Feng.

This is what it feels like to have someone stand up for you? he thought. It's kind of annoying… but also a little touching?

Ye Longyuan landed, his demeanor calm as he smiled at the group before him.

"Junior Sister Jiang, it's been a while. I hope you've been well."

"If you have something to say, say it. If not, leave," Jiang Surou replied coldly, drawing the light blue sword that Han Feng had given her.

Ye Longyuan's smile faltered for a moment at her sharp words, but he quickly composed himself. His gaze shifted to Han Feng, and his smile turned into a sneer.

"Hey, you coward hiding behind a woman. Come out and fight me! If you win, you can keep Junior Sister Jiang as your Dao partner. But if I win, I'll take her for myself. What do you say? Do you dare?"

Jiang Surou quickly leaned toward Han Feng and whispered, "Avoid fighting for now. We're at a disadvantage. Let's wait until later, when they've fought with other groups and their numbers have thinned."

Han Feng nodded in agreement, then turned to Ye Longyuan with a smirk. "Why would I fight you? Jiang Surou is already my Dao partner. What do I stand to gain if I beat you? And if I lose, you're saying I'd have to hand her over? There's no way I'm agreeing to such a ridiculous deal. You must've cultivated your brain into mush."

Han Feng didn't want to engage in a direct fight just yet. But that didn't mean he would back down or swallow his pride. Whenever he faced Ye Longyuan, he had never backed down before, and he wasn't about to start now.

Would being submissive earn him any mercy from Ye Longyuan? Of course not. So why should he bother holding back?

If things came to a fight, Han Feng was more than willing to go all out. He'd drag Ye Longyuan down with him, even if it meant going down himself.

Ye Longyuan's expression twisted into a sneer. "Hmph. I knew you were a coward. You don't even have the guts to face me in a fair fight!"

"Ye Longyuan, look around," Han Feng retorted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Don't you see the tens of thousands of people watching this? I'm a servant disciple, a so-called 'waste' who can't cultivate.

And you, Ye Longyuan, are a prodigy with Heavenly Spirit Roots, the pride of the Ye family.

Even if you beat me, who's going to admire you for it? People will just see you as a bully, someone who picks on a weak, non-cultivator servant.

Not only that, but you're trying to steal another man's Dao partner. You want to break up a couple and take her for yourself. Isn't that shameful?

Jiang Surou and I are officially registered as Dao partners in the sect, yet you're trying to wedge yourself between us. What does that make you? A third wheel? A homewrecker?

And you call yourself a disciple of the Ye family. What kind of family raises their children to steal from others, to bully weaker disciples? Not only are you tarnishing your own reputation, but you're dragging the entire Ye family's name through the mud."

Han Feng's barrage of taunts struck Ye Longyuan hard, his face turning red with anger. His fists clenched tightly as he prepared to attack Han Feng.