My Years as a Menace in the Sect

Wei Ping'an rolled into the pile of rocks, the black pot on his back hitting the rocks with a dull thud that shook his internal organs. He didn't stop, using one hand to brace himself against the pebbles as he rolled up, holding the black pot high in the air, the bloodstains on the rim shining brightly in the mist.

"Qi Mang, if you want the Mystic Pattern Pot, come with me!" he yelled, his voice hoarse from shouting. "Showing off while guarding two seriously injured people, is your half-step Foundation Establishment just empty talk?"

After shouting, he turned and rushed into the dense forest behind him, deliberately squeezing through narrow gaps in the branches. Pine needles scraped his face and hands, leaving tiny cuts, from which beads of blood seeped and mingled with cold sweat, but he didn't even blink. The pot on his back blocked most of the thick branches, causing bark fragments to fall down in a loud clatter, deliberately making a great commotion.

Qi Mang's eyes were instantly glued to the pot, forgetting all about Su Yin and the message. The ancient Xuanwen pot that the ancestor had been searching for for twenty years was right in front of him. As long as he could seize it and present it to the ancestor, once the blood sacrifice was completed, the Foundation Establishment technique and the position of power in the clan would all be his.

"You little beast, you're asking for death!" He chased after him, wielding his broken sword. His strides, typical of someone at the half-step Foundation Establishment stage, were enormous, closing the distance in just a few steps. The wind from the blade, carrying a stench of blood, swept across the back of Wei Ping'an's neck; he could even feel his hair being whipped against his scalp by the force of the wind. He veered off to the side and plunged into a thicket of thorns. The thorns caught on his robes, tearing painfully. He gritted his teeth and struggled forward, the sound of tearing fabric particularly clear in the forest.

Qi Mang, being tall, found himself in the way when he tried to squeeze through, and the sprawling branches whipped at his face, making him furious. He swung his knife wildly, sending broken branches and leaves flying everywhere. When he finally broke through the thorns and rushed out, all that remained before him was a steep slope leading downwards, its bottom a jumble of rocks shrouded in mist. The wind whipped his clothes down the slope, and from below came rustling sounds; the boy was rolling down the slope with a pot in his arms.

"Let's see where you run now." Qi Mang grinned maliciously and leaped down. In mid-air, he twisted his waist to dissipate the force, and when he landed, gravel flew everywhere. His broken nine-ringed sword slammed into the ground with a loud clang, causing the surrounding gravel to tremble. Wei Ping'an had already retreated to the base of the stone wall, his back pressed against the cold, hard rock, with nowhere left to go. He slowly straightened up, leaning on the pot for support, his arm trembling violently. Blood seeped from the cut on his hand, dripping down the rim of the pot and splashing onto the stone, creating small blood flowers.

He was panting heavily, like a broken bellows, his chest ached terribly as if sharp stones were grinding inside. The spiritual energy in his dantian was long gone, with only a trace of warmth seeping from the bottom of the pot slowly climbing up his spine, keeping him alive. Yet, he still wore a smile, a roguish grin, completely unconcerned about the blood at the corner of his mouth.

"Why aren't you chasing it anymore?" He raised his chin and held the pot horizontally in front of him. "Come and take it if you want it. I'm just afraid your half-step Foundation Establishment body can't withstand a single blow."

Qi Mang was enraged. How dare a mere Qi Refining Stage 3 servant repeatedly challenge him? He stopped talking nonsense, gathering all his spiritual energy into his blade. A pale gray aura enveloped the blade, even cleaving through the surrounding mist with its force. This strike was delivered with all his might, aimed at killing and seizing the pot. The moment the blade fell, Wei Ping'an closed his eyes and desperately poured the last bit of spiritual energy from his dantian into the pot.

He didn't want to win; he just wanted to hold out for one more breath, because every extra breath gave Su Yin a better chance of getting the message out.

A deafening crash echoed through the valley, sending pebbles crashing down the cliff face. A faint black-gold light emanated from the tadpole-like patterns on the rim of the pot, forming a thin layer of light that resembled jade soaked in ink. Though seemingly fragile, it had withstood the full force of a half-step Foundation Establishment cultivator's strike.

The light shield flickered three times, like a candle flame in the wind, but ultimately didn't go out. The force jolted back along the pot, and Wei Ping'an slid down the stone wall, collapsing onto the pile of rocks. His bones felt like they were shattered; he didn't even have the strength to lift a finger. A sweet, metallic taste filled his throat. He swallowed twice, but blood still trickled down his chin, staining his clothes with a dark color. His ears were ringing, and he couldn't make out what Qi Mang was cursing. In a daze, he heard a clear, jade-like sound from afar—the sound of a communication jade slip breaking through the formation. It was successful.

His tense nerves relaxed, and everything went completely black before his eyes. His head lolled to one side as he passed out. The black pot in his arms was warm against his chest, like the hot sweet potato his mother used to hold in his arms when he was a child.

Qi Mang also heard the jade chime. His expression changed drastically, and he abruptly turned to look at the direction of the light screen at the valley entrance. "Damn it! That bitch has spread the news!" He was both shocked and furious, raising his foot to kick Wei Ping'an in the chest, wanting to kill the brat and take the pot first. Just as his toes were about to touch his clothes, a white shadow suddenly swept down from the slope, a gust of wind from its sleeve forcing him back two steps.

"Qi Mang, stop!" The newcomer was dressed in white, with a handsome face, but his complexion was abnormally pale. He was Qi Heng, the young master of the Qi family.

After landing, his brows furrowed, his tone filled with barely suppressed urgency: "The ancestral blood sacrifice has reached its most critical point. The restrictions outside the underground palace have already sensed the sect's spiritual energy fluctuations. The war drums for the extermination of the clan have already sounded. Are you still wasting time here with a menial servant? Immediately come back to the underground palace with me to guard it. If we're late, no one can afford the consequences!"

"Young Master!" Qi Mang hurriedly argued, pointing to the unconscious Wei Ping'an, "This kid has the Xuanwen Pot on him, the very ancient Xuanwen Pot that the Ancestor has been searching for for half his life! If we take it and offer it to the Ancestor now, it will help him break through his bottleneck! What if the sect members pick it up and leave now?"

Qi Heng glanced at Wei Ping'an, his gaze lingering on the black pot for a moment, a hint of greed flashing in his eyes, but he quickly suppressed it. "No matter how important the Xuanwen Pot is, it can't compare to the Ancestor's Grand Ceremony."

His voice was low but firm, brooking no argument. "Two thousand inner disciples of the Cangxia Sect will arrive in the blink of an eye. Do you think we can hold them off with our meager numbers? The blame lies with this kid. Can a half-dead servant really escape? Once our ancestor achieves the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment, let alone this one pot, the entire southern bank of the Cangxia Sect will belong to the Qi family. Let's go!"

Qi Mang gritted his teeth, his cheeks puffed out. He was unwilling, but he couldn't disobey the young master's words, and the ancestor's blood sacrifice couldn't go wrong in the slightest.

He glared fiercely at Wei Ping'an and spat a mouthful of bloody saliva on the stone. "You're lucky, kid. When the ancestor comes out of seclusion, I'll be the first to throw you into the blood pool." After cursing, he picked up his broken sword and hurriedly followed Qi Heng's figure towards the underground palace deep in the valley. The two of them were extremely fast, and disappeared into the depths of the dense forest in a few leaps.

At the edge of the valley's light barrier, Su Yin leaned against the stone wall, watching Qi Mang's figure completely disappear into the forest before finally letting out a sigh of relief. The wound on her left arm throbbed with pain, but she seemed oblivious, pulling out the communication jade slip exclusive to the Enforcement Hall from her bosom. The jade slip was a high-grade magic artifact, normally capable of transmitting messages over a hundred miles, but the Mountain-Locking Array had suppressed even a wisp of its spiritual light.

Knowing that ordinary spiritual power would be useless, she bit her tongue without hesitation and spat a mouthful of her life essence onto the jade slip.

Essence blood is a cultivator's lifeblood, and it takes half a year to recover from its depletion. But she couldn't afford to waste that time; Wei Ping'an's life-risking sacrifice couldn't be wasted. Her divine sense swiftly inscribed itself into the jade slip, each word heavy as iron: "The Qi family has rebelled, secretly setting up an eight-hundred-mile-long mountain-locking array to seal off Luoxia Valley. They are using cultivators' essence blood for a rebellious blood sacrifice, harming disciples who have left the sect. Disciple Su Yin was ordered to investigate Zhang He's disappearance but was surrounded by the Qi family. Outer sect disciple Sun Yan was captured and his fate is unknown. Zhang He is critically injured and on the verge of death. Disciple Wei Ping'an, a menial disciple, single-handedly lured away a half-step Foundation Establishment pursuer, sacrificing himself to cover their retreat, but is now trapped inside the array, his fate uncertain. Disciple implores the sect to send troops to rescue him immediately!"

After carving the last character, she poured all the remaining spiritual energy in her body into the jade slip. The jade slip suddenly burst forth with a dazzling white light, and with a clear hum, it transformed into a stream of light, forcefully piercing through the gray-blue array light barrier and heading straight towards the Cangxia Sect.

The moment the message was sent, all of Su Yin's strength drained away. She swayed and sat down next to Zhang He, her fingertips trembling slightly as she looked in the direction of the dense forest where Wei Ping'an had disappeared. "I must hold on," she silently told herself. Her vision blurred, and finally, unable to withstand the dizziness from the depletion of her vital energy, she slumped to the side and fainted.

The midday sun shone brightly over the three mountains on the south bank of the Cangxia Sect. The outer sect's mission hall was bustling with people, disciples queuing up to hand in their missions and receive spirit stones, making a noisy racket. The old deacon behind the counter was looking down at the ledger when he suddenly heard a soft sound from the counter. He looked up and saw a communication jade slip vibrating wildly on the table, its white light so bright it hurt the eyes. It was engraved with the unique mark of the Enforcement Hall.

The old deacon's heart skipped a beat. This was an emergency communication jade slip for an inner disciple sent from outside the sect; it wouldn't be used unless there was a catastrophic crisis. He quickly reached out and pressed the jade slip, probing it with his divine sense. His face turned pale at the sight of it. The account book in his hand fell to the ground with a thud, its pages scattering everywhere.

"The Qi family... the Qi family of Luoxia Valley has rebelled!" His voice trembled as he turned and rushed up to the attic, nearly falling over before he could even get a firm footing on the ladder.

This is a huge matter. The sect's affiliated families have rebelled as a whole and even set up a mountain-locking formation to surround and kill the disciples. This is a top-priority crime that warrants confiscation of property and extermination of the entire clan and cannot be delayed for even a moment.

The message traveled upwards, reaching Ouyang Jie, the head of the Enforcement Hall, in less than half an incense stick's time. Ouyang Jie was interrogating prisoners in the punishment hall on the back mountain, his red hair flowing down his shoulders, wearing a black robe embroidered with blood-red patterns. After reading the message, he slammed his hand on the table, instantly shattering the stone table in two. His murderous aura almost solidified, terrifying the kneeling prisoners below, who trembled and dared not even cry.

"What a fine Qi family! What a formidable family that guards the mountains!" He stood up, waved his sleeves, and his voice, carried by the spiritual energy, resounded throughout the three mountains of the southern bank: "Pass on my order! Sound the war drums of annihilation! All inner disciples must assemble at the Seed Path Plaza within twenty breaths. Those who fail to do so will be considered traitors!"

The moment the words fell, three deep, resounding drumbeats echoed from the main peak of the cultivation path. Thump, thump, thump—the heavy drumbeats, carrying a chilling aura, swept across the three peaks, penetrating every cave, every medicinal field, and every servant's quarters. Disciples drying herbs spilled their baskets, those practicing swordsmanship stopped, and those sorting herbs ceased their work. Everyone's expression changed.

The war drums of annihilation, a sound that the Cangxia Sect has only sounded for thousands of years when its affiliated families rebel or when foreign enemies launch a large-scale invasion, are a testament to its power. Once the drums sound, no one returns without bloodshed. Countless sword lights shot into the sky from various caves, densely packed like fireflies, heading straight for the Seed Dao Plaza.

Old Zheng, the old man in the medicine testing hall, was squatting on the ground rummaging through the dregs of herbs, his rake still covered in yellowish-brown powder. The moment he heard the drumbeat, his hand paused, and the rake fell into the pile of herbs.

"The Clan Extermination Drum?" He frowned, straightening up as he pondered which rebel group it was, when he heard two lowly servants run over, shouting, "Have you heard? The Qi family of Sunset Valley has rebelled! They've set up a massive formation to kill sect disciples! The Enforcement Hall has already received the message!"

"I also heard that there was a handyman from the drug testing hall named Wei Ping'an who escaped alone with the pursuers and his fate is now unknown!" With a clatter, the medicine basket at Old Man Zheng's feet was knocked over, and the half-dried ingredients of Wenqi Powder were scattered all over the ground.

He paused for two seconds, bent down to pick up the bamboo rake, dusted off his robe, and turned to walk into the medicine testing hall. Once inside, he opened the bottom wooden box and pulled out a cloth bag containing healing pills and several defensive talismans that he had kept hidden for many years.

"That little brat, he's always causing me trouble." He muttered as he stuffed the cloth bag into his arms and hurried toward the planting square. His back was more hunched than usual, but he walked very fast.

In the servants' quarters, Zhang Erpang was carrying a sack towards the storeroom, sweating profusely. He was still dazed when he heard the drumbeat. But when he heard the people around him talking about "Luoxia Valley," "Wei Ping'an," and "leading the enemy alone," he slammed the sack in his hand to the ground with a thud, scattering the coarse rice inside all over the ground.

"Who did you say? Wei Ping'an?" He grabbed the disciple who spoke, his grip so tight that the disciple winced in pain. "What happened to him? Explain yourself!"

"It's...it's about the Qi family rebellion in Luoxia Valley. He went on a mission with the senior sister from the Enforcement Hall, and to save his companions, he led the pursuers away. Now his fate is unknown..." Zhang Erpang's mind went blank. A few days ago, when Wei Ping'an left, he gave him two packets of Qi-stabilizing powder, saying that he would discuss expanding sales with him when he returned. How could this person's fate be unknown? He took off running towards the mountain gate, his fat body staggering as he ran, tears streaming down his face from the wind. He knew that his cultivation was too low to be of much help, but he just wanted to go, even if it was just to wait for news at the mountain gate.

In the other half of Danfeng's medicine storehouse, Shen Qingyao was squatting in front of the shelves, counting medicinal herbs. Her fingertips traced the labels on the porcelain bottles. When she heard the drumbeat, her brows furrowed slightly, and she felt a sudden, inexplicable panic. Soon, a Danfeng disciple rushed in with a message, his voice urgent: "Senior Sister Shen, something terrible has happened! The Qi family of Luoxia Valley has rebelled! Senior Sister Su from the Enforcement Hall sent word that many of our sect's disciples are trapped inside, and a handyman from the Medicine Testing Hall named Wei Ping'an got himself trapped while trying to distract the pursuers!" The porcelain bottle in Shen Qingyao's hand fell to the ground with a crash and shattered, the brown medicinal powder scattered everywhere, mixed with the broken porcelain shards, creating a mess.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she bent down to pick up the shards, but her fingertip was cut, and a drop of blood seeped out, spreading into a dark spot in the medicinal powder. She seemed oblivious to the pain, standing up and walking out, her hem sweeping across the medicine shelf, knocking over several small porcelain bottles. She was going to Sunset Valley—she needed to see him alive or dead!

The crisp sound of Zhou Yangang sheathing his sword after finishing his stance in the sword-training arena hadn't even faded when he heard the drumbeats and the disciples' chatter. His fingers tightened around the sword hilt. He had led the team during the last herb-gathering trip in Luoxia Valley. Wei Ping'an seemed smooth and composed in the face of trouble, unlike the other menial disciples who panicked.

He remained silent for a moment, then turned and walked towards the Seed Path Square. In the crowd, Deacon Sun stood among the Dan Peak disciples, head bowed, but a smirk secretly played on his lips. That little brat Wei Ping'an had finally died out there. He sighed dramatically, shaking his head at the disciple beside him, "Ah, what a pity, such a clever child." But inwardly, he was overjoyed, as if he could already see Wei Ping'an's body being carried back.

Over two thousand inner disciples had assembled in the Seed Path Square, their ranks perfectly aligned and utterly silent. Ouyang Jie stood on the high platform, his red hair flying, his aura of killing intent overwhelming. His gaze swept across the crowd below as he spoke in a deep voice: "The Qi family of Luoxia Valley, protected by the sect for a hundred years, has dared to harbor such wolfish ambitions, secretly setting up a mountain-locking formation to harm sect disciples and perform evil blood sacrifices. By the sect leader's decree, the entire clan must be exterminated, leaving no one alive! Rescue all the trapped disciples; we must find them alive or dead!"

Two thousand disciples responded in unison, their voices soaring into the sky.

Ouyang Jie waved his sleeve and shouted, "Activate the inter-domain teleportation array! Destination: Sunset Valley!" The teleportation array on the main peak of the Seed Dao suddenly lit up, and a towering pillar of light rose from the ground, enveloping the entire plaza in white light. The dazzling light flashed and the figures of more than two thousand people disappeared, leaving only an empty plaza and the still echoing sound of war drums.

A few breaths later, outside the Luoxia Valley Mountain Locking Formation, space distorted and more than two thousand Cangxia Sect cultivators appeared out of thin air.

Ouyang Jie, who was in the lead, raised his hand and pointed. A beam of blood-red spiritual light struck the array's light screen. With a crisp crack, the mountain-locking array that covered the eight-hundred-mile-long Luoxia Valley was torn open like a piece of broken glass, leaving a huge gap.

The disciples filed in and quickly found the unconscious Su Yin and Zhang He at the valley entrance. Several female disciples from the Enforcement Hall rushed forward to feed them healing pills, using their spiritual energy to stabilize their injuries. Su Yin soon woke up, and seeing her fellow disciples around her, her tense nerves finally relaxed.

She grabbed Ouyang Jie's sleeve, her voice hoarse: "Elder... Wei Ping'an... Wei Ping'an led Qi Mang to the western rocky slope. He's only at the third level of Qi Refining and is seriously injured... Quickly, go save him..."

Ouyang Jie nodded and immediately ordered: "Team One, come with me to the Qi Family Underground Palace to quell the rebellion. Teams Two and Three, spread out and conduct a thorough search of the mountains. We must find Wei Ping'an! Alive or dead!"

Countless sword lights streaked across the valley. Shen Qingyao followed the search party westward, her eyes, white with fright, fixed intently on every rock and every patch of dense forest. Old Man Zheng was also in the group, carrying a medicine bag in his arms and walking hurriedly. Zhang Erpang, who hadn't made it in, squatted on a large rock at the valley entrance, craning his neck to look inside, his eyes red from crying.

Deep in the dense forest, at the bottom of a rocky slope, Wei Ping'an was still unconscious, his face as pale as paper and his breathing so weak it was almost invisible.

The black pot in his arms was slightly warm, and its patterns shone even brighter than before. Light footsteps echoed from the nearby woods; it was the Qi family's patrol of three men, carrying knives, walking towards them, muttering curses: "Young Master, really! Sending us out to patrol at a time like this? The sect has already invaded; running away is the most important thing..."

"Enough with the nonsense, find that handyman and bring the pot back. The patriarch will reward you handsomely. The captain just said that kid fell down the rocky slope, he must be nearby..." The footsteps grew closer, and the glint of a knife flickered in the shadows of the trees. Wei Ping'an remained unconscious, only the warmth from the pot slowly seeping in more quickly.