My Years as a Menace in the Sect

Wei Ping'an circled around the mountain gate archway three times.

It stopped halfway through the fourth lap.

Go inside. The entire sect's funeral arrangements are finished; even the tombstones have been erected for almost half a month. If he suddenly appears now, he'll scare people half to death.

If we don't go in, we can't really live like wild people in the mountains, can we?

Underneath the bedding in the drying room of the medicine testing hall, there were over seventy spirit stones he had saved up over half a year. He had even wrapped them in three layers of oil paper and hidden them in a crack in the wall. He couldn't just lose them like that.

He had been pestering Old Man Zheng for three months to get his half-bottle of century-old ginseng dew, and they were almost settling on a deal for twenty spirit stones. They couldn't let it fall through.

And then there's Zhang Erpang, that fatso. He might ruin the Qi-stabilizing powder business, and we can't even calculate how many spirit stones we'll lose.

Thinking about it this way, I still have to go in. I can't just wander around outside like a lost soul.

"Anyway, I'm not a zombie anymore."

He patted his cheeks twice, tucked the black-patterned pot on his back under his clothes, and stepped over the threshold of the archway.

Before they had gone a few steps, two outer disciples came towards them. One of them had a medicine basket slung over his shoulder, and he was counting the plantains in the basket as he walked, his mouth never stopping.

"...If we're talking about regrets, the most regrettable one is Senior Brother Wei Ping'an. He was only sixteen, and still a menial worker from the Medicine Testing Hall, yet he dared to lure away a half-step Foundation Establishment cultivator's pursuers all by himself. If it were me, my legs would have gone weak long ago."

"Those are honored disciples. In the thousands of years since the sect was founded, only four have been posthumously honored, and all of them were martyrs. I went to the mountainside of Xiangyun Mountain yesterday to take a look. The tombstone is carved like a real person, smiling. I heard that it took three days to get the elders of Danqing Pavilion to paint it."

Before he could finish speaking, the disciple in front looked up and his gaze met Wei Ping'an's.

With a crash, the medicine basket fell onto the bluestone slab. The basket full of medicinal herbs scattered all over the ground, green and yellow herbs carpeting the area.

He pointed at Wei Ping'an, his finger trembling like a leaf, and he opened his mouth several times before managing to utter, "You...you...you...Wei...Wei Ping'an?"

The person behind, who was bending down to pick up grass, was startled by the shout and looked up. The instant he saw clearly, he sprang back three feet, landing hard on his backside in a pile of scattered grass, his face deathly pale, his voice cracking: "Holy crap! A ghost!"

The shout was so sharp and loud that everyone on the mountain path stopped in their tracks.

Wei Ping'an's lips twitched, and he waved his hand, taking half a step forward: "Don't shout, don't shout, I'm not dead. Look, there's a shadow and body temperature, take a look if you don't believe me."

As he spoke, he lifted his foot slightly. The sun cast a clear shadow on the bluestone slab, making the silhouette of him carrying a large pot on his back particularly conspicuous.

"You...you stay away!"

The disciple sitting on the ground scrambled backward, frantically pulling out a yellow talisman from his robes, trembling so much he almost tore it apart.

"You've already passed your seventh day memorial! We've burned plenty of paper money for you! Last time I bought your Qi-stabilizing powder, I gave you two extra spirit stones and didn't even ask for change! If you have any wishes, can't you just ask in a dream? Don't come out in broad daylight and scare people!"

More and more people gathered around. There were water carriers, outer disciples returning from sword practice, and Danfeng apprentices carrying medicine baskets.

Once they saw Wei Ping'an's face clearly, everyone in the group fell silent.

Some people rubbed their eyes hard until their eyes turned red. Some pinched their thighs until their faces scrunched up. Others shrank behind their fellow disciples, only daring to show half their faces.

"Is it really Wei Ping'an? He looks exactly like the one on the monument!"

"Wasn't it said they died in the Valley of Sunset? The Enforcement Hall has searched for half a month but still can't find them..."

"The tombstone was erected more than half a month ago, and the sect leader personally presided over the ceremony. How did it come back to life?"

"It looks so much like it... Could it be an evil spirit in disguise? But how could an evil spirit dare to break into the mountain gate in broad daylight? It could even destroy the mountain's protective formation."

The buzzing of voices was like a swarm of wasps. The crowd grew thicker and thicker, blocking the mountain path completely.

A quick-footed servant glanced at him twice, then turned and ran up the mountain, shouting as he ran, "Quickly, report to the medicine testing hall! Wei Ping'an is back! Alive and well!"

The message flew up the mountain along the path, splitting into three routes heading in three different directions.

The first route went straight to the Xiangyun Mountain Medicine Testing Hall.

Old Zheng was squatting on the steps in the courtyard, kneading pills. A row of dark, smooth pills of "Wenqi San" (a traditional Chinese medicine) was displayed in a bamboo tray. Zhang Erpang was squatting beside him, helping him. He was also holding half a piece of hard, dried jujube cake, which he had just bought from the foot of the mountain that morning. He had originally planned to take it up the mountain at noon to place in front of the tombstone.

"Uncle Zheng, do you think Brother Wei will be able to eat this jujube cake down there?" Zhang Erpang's voice was muffled, and his eyes were still red. "He used to love eating this the most. Every time he got his monthly allowance, he would buy two pieces, and he would always steal mine."

Old Zheng didn't say a word. He was crumpling the pills in his hands crookedly, and his pipe was tucked into his waistband, the tobacco was damp but he didn't bother to light it.

The courtyard gate was flung open with a thud. A young servant tumbled in, shouting, "Uncle Zheng! Fatty! The mountain...the mountain gate! Senior Brother Wei Ping'an is back! Alive and well! There are so many people gathered around!"

Thud. The pills in Old Zheng's hand fell into the bamboo tray and rolled a long way.

The jujube cake in Zhang Erpang's hand fell to the ground, covered in a layer of dust. He froze for two seconds, then jumped up, his fat body moving faster than a rabbit: "Really?!"

"Really! Lots of people saw it! They're coming this way!"

Old Zheng also stood up. He wiped his hands on his apron a couple of times, then grabbed his pipe. His steps seemed steady, but he almost tripped when he reached the threshold.

"What's the panic?" he said stubbornly, but his voice trembled slightly. "Maybe someone made a mistake. Go and check."

The second route leads to the nursing home of the Law Enforcement Hall.

Su Yin leaned against the soft couch by the window, wiping the long whip in her hand. The whip was made of black iron mixed with the sinews of demonic beasts, and it had a small chip on it when she fought Qi Mang. She had been wiping it every day for the past two weeks, making the whip shine, but she could never smooth out the chip.

The events at Sunset Valley were like a thorn in her heart. It was she who insisted on bringing Wei Ping'an, this menial servant, along; it was her misjudgment that led her into the Qi family's ambush; and in the end, it was Wei Ping'an who gave his life to give her the opportunity to send a message.

She went to the funeral. Standing at the very back of the crowd, looking at the smiling face of the boy on the tombstone, she didn't say a word and stood there for a full hour before leaving.

There were two bottles of high-quality healing medicine on the table, which she had obtained from the storeroom of the Law Enforcement Hall. She had originally planned to place them in front of the monument next time she went there.

"Senior sister! Senior sister!"

The junior disciple outside, forgetting to knock, rushed in, panting and barely able to speak: "News has come from the mountain... from the mountain gate! Junior Brother Wei Ping'an is back! Alive! It's all over the place down the mountain!"

The deerskin cloth in Su Yin's hand fell onto the table with a thud.

She looked up abruptly, her usually cold and hard brows softening slightly: "What did you say?"

"Junior Brother Wei is back! Many people saw him! He's on the mountain path, talking to Senior Uncle Zheng and the others!"

Su Yin stood up, her hasty movement aggravating an old injury on her left arm, causing her to wince in pain. Without rubbing it, she grabbed her law enforcement robe draped over the back of the chair, put it on, and turned to leave. Her steps were quick and hurried, her boots making a rapid, crisp sound on the cobblestones.

The third route leads to the medicinal herb garden in Danfeng.

Shen Qingyao was squatting by the edge of the field, sorting through spiritual herbs. She held a silver-leaf grass between her fingertips, and dewdrops from the leaves rolled onto the back of her hand, feeling cool and refreshing.

She's been going to the herb garden a lot these past two months. Whenever she has a moment to herself, she can't help but think about Sunset Valley, about the boy rushing out with the black pot in his hand, and about the light that lit up on the communication jade slip.

She wasn't particularly close to Wei Ping'an. Initially, it was just a business transaction; he sold Wenqi Powder, and she helped purify the powder, splitting the profits 40/60. But who would have thought that the usually calculating young man, who was more shrewd than anyone else when it came to calculating spirit stones, would turn around and lead away the pursuers without hesitation when faced with real trouble?

On the day of the funeral, she sent a bottle of Qi-gathering pills she had refined herself and placed it in front of the tombstone. She kept thinking, if she had gone with them back then, would the outcome have been different?

"Senior Sister Shen! Senior Sister Shen!"

A young disciple from Danfeng came running from afar, covered in sweat: "Something's happened down the mountain! Senior Brother Wei Ping'an is back! He's alive and well standing on the mountain path! Lots of people are gathered around watching!"

The silver leaf grass on Shen Qingyao's fingertip snapped with a snap. The emerald green sap clung to her fingertip, chilling her to the bone.

She paused for two seconds, then suddenly stood up, her skirt sweeping across the bamboo basket, scattering half a basket of spiritual herbs all over the ground, without even looking down.

"really?"

The voice was ethereal, as if walking on clouds.

"It's true! Lots of people saw it! Uncle Zheng and Zhang Erpang both went over!"

Without further hesitation, Shen Qingyao lifted her skirt and ran down the mountain. The wind whistled past her ears, and the stray hairs at her temples flew wildly, but she didn't bother to tidy them up. Her heart was pounding, half in disbelief, half in overwhelming joy, and a little fearful—afraid that someone had spread the wrong message, afraid that running there would only bring disappointment.

On the mountain path, the crowd had already formed three or four layers deep.

Zhang Erpang was the first to rush over. He ran up to Wei Ping'an, then suddenly stopped, afraid to touch him for fear he would break if he did. He stared at Wei Ping'an for a long time, then suddenly reached out and pinched his arm hard.

"Ouch! What are you doing!" Wei Ping'an winced in pain.

"It's hot!"

Zhang Erpang's eyes instantly reddened, and large tears streamed down his face: "Brother Wei! It really is you! I thought... I thought I'd never see you again!"

Once the fat man started crying, he couldn't stop. His shoulders were trembling, as if he had suffered a great injustice.

"I kept your half-box of Qi-stabilizing powder safe for you, not a single packet is missing! I bought jujube cake every day, and it went bad three times already... Why did it take you so long to come back!"

Wei Ping'an felt a pang of sadness seeing him cry. He reached out and patted his arm, saying, "Alright, alright, Fatty, it's nothing. I'm back now. If you keep crying, people will think I'm bullying you."

As they were talking, Old Man Zheng slowly walked over.

The old man's back was more hunched, and he had half as many white hairs at his temples as before. He stood in front of Wei Ping'an, looking him up and down for a long time, from his face to his feet, and then stared at the bulge on his back, which was the shape of a Xuanwen pot.

"So you know how to come back?"

Old Zheng spoke, his voice hoarse: "I thought you really fell and died outside."

He cursed under his breath, but his hand reached into his robes and pulled out a small porcelain bottle, which he then handed to Wei Ping'an: "Take this. It's a hundred-year-old ginseng dew. I was originally planning to save it for breaking through my cultivation level. You're lucky, kid. You got it for free."

Wei Ping'an took the porcelain bottle. It was warm to the touch, and the stopper was sealed tightly. He looked up at Old Man Zheng and smiled, "Thank you, Uncle Zheng. I knew you cared about me."

Stop being so cheeky.

Old Zheng turned his face away and coughed twice: "I'll keep your job at the medicine testing hall. Nobody dares to touch the powder in the drying room. Deacon Sun came twice, but I turned him down both times."

As people watched this scene, their discussions gradually took a turn for the worse.

"It really is a living person! Both Uncle Zheng and Zhang Erpang have confirmed it!"

"My God, to survive falling off the Cliff of Broken Souls, what kind of luck is that!"

"Not only did they survive, but they also look quite healthy. Maybe they've had some kind of stroke of luck."

"That's the Cliff of Broken Souls! It's teeming with miasma and poisonous insects; even Foundation Establishment cultivators wouldn't dare go down there lightly. He's only at the third level of Qi Refining... wait, look at his spiritual energy fluctuations, it seems like he's more than just the third level?!"

Amidst the uproar in the crowd, someone on the outer edge suddenly announced in a deep voice, "Senior Sister Su from the Enforcement Hall has arrived." The crowd automatically parted to create a narrow gap.

Su Yin stood at the seam. She was dressed neatly in a black law enforcement robe, with a bronze token hanging at her waist. Her left arm was still injured, and the sleeve was slightly open.

She stood there, her gaze fixed on Wei Ping'an's face. His usually cold and hard brows relaxed slightly, and a hint of barely perceptible guilt lingered in his eyes.

She took two steps forward and stopped in front of Wei Ping'an. Her voice, as always, was cool and clear, but trembled slightly: "Ping'an, it's so good that you're back."

She paused, then bowed slightly, giving a solemn salute: "The matter of Sunset Valley was due to my lack of foresight, which has implicated you. Thank you for sacrificing yourself to cover our escape. In the future, if there is anything I, Su Yin, can do for you, please don't hesitate to ask."

Wei Ping'an quickly stepped aside, saying, "Senior Sister Su, you're too kind. As fellow disciples, we can't just watch you get into trouble. Besides, you're the one who ultimately got the message out; you deserve the most credit."

Su Yin shook her head without saying anything, but seeing that he was completely unharmed, her heart, which had been hanging in suspense for more than two months, finally settled down.

She had just stepped aside when another commotion arose outside the crowd. Someone whispered, "It's Senior Sister Shen," and the crowd parted to the sides again.

Shen Qingyao stood there. Her moon-white Danfeng disciple robes were stained with bits of grass, her hair was disheveled, and fine beads of sweat glistened on her forehead, clearly indicating that she had run all the way here.

Her gaze pierced through the crowd and landed directly on Wei Ping'an's face. Her eyes instantly welled up with tears.

She walked forward, her steps quick yet light, as if afraid that if she walked too fast, she would lose sight of the person in front of her. She stopped two steps away from Wei Ping'an, raised her hand halfway, then withdrew it, her fingertips trembling violently.

"Junior Brother Wei... is it really you?"

His voice was so hoarse that it was almost inaudible.

"I thought...I thought you..."

The rest of her words were stuck in her throat, leaving only faint gasps. Tears fell onto the back of her hand; they were cold. Only then did she belatedly realize she was crying.

Wei Ping'an watched her tears fall, his hand fidgeting at his sleeve. He had known Shen Qingyao for so long, from their first meeting in the back mountain to their later partnership in the business of calming her nerves, and this girl had always been straightforward and efficient, even more decisive than him in her words and actions. He had never seen her cry before.

It felt like something had gently tugged at my heart.

He scratched the back of his head and softened his voice: "Senior Sister Shen, it's me. I met a reclusive senior when I fell off the cliff, who saved my life. I recuperated in the valley for a while, so I came back late. I'm sorry to have worried you."

Shen Qingyao didn't reply. She lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly, and quickly wiped her eyes with her sleeve. When she raised her head again, her eyes were still red, but her lips were tightly pursed, as if she wanted to take back all the embarrassment she had just caused.

"It's alright." She sniffed, her voice still a little unsteady, but much more steadier than before. "It's good that you're back."

She paused, then added, speaking faster than usual, as if trying to cover up her earlier embarrassment: "I've finished refining your batch of Qi-stabilizing powder and kept it for you. When you have time, we'll settle the accounts."

Even at a time like this, they're still settling accounts. Wei Ping'an couldn't help but laugh.

He suddenly remembered something, quickly took the pot off his back, and pulled a small cloth bag from the bottom of the pot. The cloth bag was already worn and frayed, but the drawstring at the top was tied tightly and hadn't come undone at all.

"Oh, right, Senior Sister Shen, here you go."

He handed over the cloth bag.

Shen Qingyao took the bottle and opened it. Inside were two bottles of Qi Gathering Pills. The bottles were covered in mud and dried watermarks, but the porcelain bottles were intact. They were the two bottles she had placed in front of the tombstone on the day of the funeral.

"I kept this pill close to my body before I fell off the cliff." Wei Ping'an scratched his head, a little embarrassed. "I was thinking that if I really couldn't hold on, I would take it and try my best. But I didn't need it, so I kept it with me. I also saw your note, 'Junior Brother Wei, may you have a safe journey'—it's written as if I really died."

Shen Qingyao held the two bottles of pills, looked down at the mud stains on the bottles, then looked up at him. Her lips finally curved into a slight smile.

It was a faint laugh, but I did laugh.

"It's good that you're back."

She tucked the pill into her sleeve, her tone regaining its usual crispness, though the last syllable still softened: "Let's not talk about the note. Come get the powder once you're settled. Don't take too long and take up space."

"Okay," Wei Ping'an replied with a smile.

Zhang Erpang nudged him with his elbow, winking at him. Wei Ping'an pretended not to see it.

The surrounding disciples, witnessing this scene, all understood. Senior Uncle Zheng from the Medicine Testing Hall admitted it, Senior Sister Su from the Enforcement Hall admitted it, and Senior Sister Shen from the Pill Peak also admitted it. This was truly a living person, not an evil spirit. Wei Ping'an had indeed returned alive from the bottom of the Broken Soul Cliff.

The message spread like wildfire, reaching the main peak of Danfeng in no time.

Danfeng Sect Leader Xie Yunzhou was tending to a furnace of Foundation Establishment Pills in the alchemy room. The fire in the pills was just right when a disciple rushed in to report that Wei Ping'an from the Medicine Testing Hall had returned to the sect alive and was now on the mountain path.

Xie Yunzhou paused, holding the palm-leaf fan in his hand.

He remembered Wei Ping'an. This boy was a handyman in the Medicine Testing Hall, with an exceptional talent for brewing medicine. The Qi-stabilizing powder he had previously presented was even more refined than that of ordinary outer disciples. He had read the dossier about the battle at Luoxia Valley, where Wei Ping'an sacrificed himself to cover the retreat, suffering severe injuries and falling off a cliff. He had felt sorry for him for quite some time at the time.

I never expected that the person would actually come back alive.

"Understood." He put down his palm-leaf fan, stood up, and straightened his Taoist robe. "Let's go down the mountain."

The disciples in the alchemy room were all stunned. The sect leader was actually going down the mountain to see a lowly servant disciple in person? No one dared to ask, and they hurriedly followed him out.

The mountain path was bustling with activity when a faint scent of medicine suddenly wafted overhead.

Everyone looked up and saw a streak of azure light descending from the direction of Dan Peak. Its speed was not fast, but it carried a heavy, oppressive spiritual energy. The crowd immediately fell silent, bowing in unison: "Greetings, Sect Leader!"

As the light dissipated, Xie Yunzhou stood there in a green robe, his features refined and handsome, with a faint fragrance of elixir emanating from him.

His gaze fell directly on Wei Ping'an, scrutinizing him for a moment, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. Two months ago, this child was only at the third level of Qi Refining, his aura weak and unstable, clearly a menial disciple lacking in basic cultivation techniques. Now, however, his spiritual energy was stable and refined, his aura harmonious and balanced, clearly indicating he had reached the fifth level of Qi Refining. He had not only survived the fall from the cliff but had also broken through two cultivation levels.

"Disciple Wei Ping'an greets the Sect Leader." Wei Ping'an stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"It's good that everyone is alright."

Xie Yunzhou's voice was gentle, yet carried weight: "You made a great contribution by sacrificing yourself to cover the rear in the Battle of Luoxia Valley, and you did not disgrace my Danfeng lineage."

He glanced around, then looked at Wei Ping'an: "The sect leader and the elders are discussing matters on the main peak of the Dao Seedling Sect. Come with me up the mountain and give a detailed account of what happened after you fell off the cliff. The sect originally intended to posthumously confer upon you the title of Honored Disciple based on your martyrdom, but now that you have returned safely, your reward will only be greater."

"Yes," Wei Ping'an replied, following behind Xie Yunzhou. Before leaving, he gave Old Man Zheng and Zhang Erpang a look, signaling them to go back first, and that he would return to the medicine testing hall after he finished.

The crowd automatically parted to make way. All eyes were fixed on Wei Ping'an's back.

Once the two had gone far away, the mountain path was in complete chaos.

"A disciple who was posthumously granted a title has been granted a living title? This is the first time this has happened since the sect's founding!"

"Hurry and follow them! Something big is definitely happening at Zhongdao Mountain!"

The news swept through the crowds heading towards Zhongdao Mountain. Disciples in caves, herb gardens, and training grounds along the way all stopped what they were doing and rushed towards the main peak. Everyone wanted to see for themselves what kind of person this first disciple in the sect's history to be honored alive was.

Wei Ping'an walked behind Xie Yunzhou, his back ramrod straight.

He used to chop wood and tend the fire in the medicine testing hall, and few people would give him a second glance when he walked down the street. Now, the entire clan stares at him as if he were some rare and precious object.

He kept a straight face, not letting a smile creep onto his lips, but his steps were half an inch longer than usual. He secretly wondered: How many spirit stones would a Glory Disciple receive monthly? Several times more than a regular medicine hall servant, right?

There were already people waiting outside the main hall of Zhongdao Mountain. Upon seeing them arrive, they hurriedly led the way, their steps quicker than usual.

Inside the hall, Sect Leader Zheng Xuantong sat in the main seat, with seven peak masters and a dozen elders arranged on either side. Enforcement Elder Ouyang Jie, with his red hair reaching his shoulders and dressed in a black robe, was the very same Enforcement Hall leader who had previously led the suppression of the rebellion.

The group was discussing the pacification of the territory following the Qi family's rebellion and the deterrence of neighboring families. When their disciple reported that Wei Ping'an had survived, the entire hall fell silent for a long while.

The funeral was over, the tombstone was erected, and the person was back, lively and energetic. The peak masters exchanged glances, all seeing surprise in each other's eyes.

Wei Ping'an entered the hall, lifted his robe, knelt down and kowtowed: "Disciple Wei Ping'an greets the Sect Leader, and greets all the Elders and Peak Masters."

Sect Leader Zheng Xuantong leaned forward, his gaze lingering on him for a long time, from the top of his head to the soles of his feet, then sweeping over the steady fluctuations of spiritual energy around him. The surprise in his eyes gradually turned into relief.

Get up.

His voice was deep and resonant, carrying the authority of a sect leader, yet with a hint of gentleness: "Good child, it's good that you're back alive. In the battle of Luoxia Valley, it was thanks to your selfless act of covering the retreat that the sect gained the upper hand in suppressing the rebellion."

Wei Ping'an stood up, his hands hanging at his sides, and recounted what he could say after falling off the cliff. He only said that he was knocked to the bottom of the Broken Soul Cliff by Qi Mang's palm strike, and when he was on the verge of death, he met the reclusive Xuan Cliff Elder. The old man saw that he had a connection with the Xuanwen Pot, so he healed his injuries, taught him two basic techniques to solidify his foundation, and set up a restriction at the entrance of the valley, requiring him to break through the fifth level of Qi Induction before he could leave the valley.

He cultivated diligently in the valley for over a month, and after breaking through to the next realm, he rushed back to his sect.

As for the profound mysteries of the Xuanwen Body Tempering Technique, the true origin of the Xuanwen Black Gold Cauldron, and the identity of the old man's remnant soul, he didn't mention a single word.

The old man Xuanya had instructed him not to tell anyone, and he kept his mouth shut. This was his duty, and also a precaution to save his life.

He harbored another concern: he had already witnessed the power of the Mystic Pattern Pot firsthand at the Qi family. This was no ordinary magical artifact; if its true nature were revealed, it could easily bring trouble. Until he understood all the pot's secrets, the tighter his lips were, the better.

The people in the hall exchanged glances and nodded slightly. Falling off a cliff and encountering a reclusive master, receiving his teachings and breaking through his cultivation level, was a strange encounter, but it was also reasonable. At such a young age, to have such a spirit, and to be able to concentrate on cultivating and breaking through even when seriously injured, was already rare.

Sect Leader Zheng Xuantong stroked his beard, his voice resounding throughout the hall, solemn and steady: "In the battle against the Qi family, Wei Ping'an sacrificed himself to cover the rear, buying time for his fellow disciples to send messages and seizing a crucial opportunity for the sect to quell the rebellion. His merits were outstanding. In remembrance of your martyrdom, the sect posthumously conferred upon you the title of Honored Disciple. Now that you have returned safely, this honor will not be revoked; it is well-deserved."

He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the hall, and slowly began to speak: "Since the founding of our Cangxia Sect, we have posthumously conferred honorary titles upon four disciples, all of whom were seniors who sacrificed their lives for the sect. Today, we formally confer upon Wei Ping'an the title of our fifth honorary disciple."

These words caused a slight commotion within the hall. A living, honorable disciple—the first such case since the sect's founding.

"Enjoy the highest level of inner sect offerings, with a monthly allowance of fifty low-grade spirit stones and two bottles of Qi Gathering Pills. Enter the Pill Peak Medicine Fusion Hall for cultivation, and become a disciple of Xie Yunzhou, the head of Pill Peak, as a personal disciple."

Wei Ping'an suddenly raised his head.

A direct disciple?

He had originally thought that being promoted to an outer disciple and receiving some spirit stones and pills would be a huge win. He never expected to become Xie Yunzhou's personal disciple and even enter the Medicine Fusion Hall? That was the most central place on Pill Peak, a place countless outer disciples would fight tooth and nail to get into. He subconsciously glanced at Xie Yunzhou, whose face remained expressionless, only nodding slightly at him.

The sect leader continued, "I bestow upon you five hundred low-grade spirit stones, ten bottles of Qi Gathering Pills, a complete set of the Fundamentals of Medicine Fusion, and a low-grade alchemy furnace. I also grant you a private courtyard at the foot of Pill Peak. You no longer need to return to the Medicine Testing Hall to perform duties; you can focus on cultivating the art of medicine fusion."

Wei Ping'an knelt on the floor tiles, his knees were freezing cold, and he went over the words in his mind twice before he finally understood what they meant.

Five hundred spirit stones. Ten bottles of Qi Gathering Pills. And a private courtyard.

When this pile of stuff came crashing down, people were a little stunned.

He steadied himself by digging his fingernails into his palms, then knelt down and kowtowed deeply, his voice louder than usual: "Disciple thanks the Sect Leader for his generous gift! Thank you to all the elders and peak masters! Disciple will certainly cultivate diligently in the future, study the art of medicine blending, and live up to the sect's expectations!"

As he straightened up after kowtowing, he couldn't help but glance at Xie Yunzhou again. Xie Yunzhou's lips curved slightly into a smile, and he nodded gently at him. His eyes held a hint of approval, and a knowing look that seemed to say, "I expected this."

Wei Ping'an's heart stirred. It seemed that this sect leader had long harbored the idea of ​​taking on disciples, and today's meeting was simply a matter of reaching an agreement.

"Get up." The sect leader waved his hand, a smile in his eyes. "Rest for two days, and report to the Medicine Fusion Hall in three days. Thank you, Sect Leader. This child is from your Pill Peak; you can arrange his subsequent cultivation."

"Disciple obeys the decree." Xie Yunzhou bowed and replied, a rare smile appearing in his eyes. He had always felt that this child had good comprehension and was a natural at alchemy, and now that he had taken him on as his personal disciple, he could teach him with great care.

As Wei Ping'an stood up and moved behind Xie Yunzhou, he suddenly felt a gaze fall on his back.

It wasn't the sect leader. It was thrown from the side or slightly behind.

He glanced at the man out of the corner of his eye as he turned around. Elder Ouyang Jie sat there, his red hair falling to his shoulders, slowly turning a string of dark prayer beads in his hand, his face expressionless. His gaze, however, lingered on the outline of the black-patterned pot on the man's back for a few moments before moving away.

The gaze wasn't exactly cold, but it was heavy, as if it were weighing something.

Wei Ping'an lowered his eyelashes, pretending not to notice, and obediently retreated to Xie Yunzhou's side. He made a mental note of this; he'd have to find out more about Elder Ouyang Jie later.

Outside the main hall, the square was packed with people, completely overflowing. Upon seeing Wei Ping'an and Xie Yunzhou emerge, everyone fell silent. Only after Xie Yunzhou personally confirmed the imperial decree of investiture did the square erupt in a cacophony of voices.

"A living disciple of glory! The first of its kind since the sect's founding!"

"At sixteen, he's at the fifth level of Qi Refining, and a personal disciple of Headmaster Xie. He's definitely going to be a future prodigy of Dan Peak!"

"He used to be a handyman in the drug testing hall, this turnaround is amazing!"

"I'll have to cultivate a good relationship with Senior Brother Wei from now on. He'll be a pill refiner someday, and a bottle of his pills will be incredibly hard to come by!"

Wei Ping'an kept a straight face and didn't falter. In his mind, however, he was calculating: five hundred spirit stones plus the seventy-odd he'd saved, plus his monthly allowance of fifty, and he wouldn't have to worry about spirit stones for cultivation anymore. Plus, there was the alchemy furnace and the courtyard; finally, he wouldn't have to share a dormitory with Zhang Erpang anymore. A huge profit; this trip to Luoxia Valley was definitely worthwhile.

As he did the calculations, he mentally cursed himself: "Look at your pathetic self." But despite the cursing, he couldn't suppress the slight upward curve of his lips.

He didn't linger on the main peak. After saying goodbye to Xie Yunzhou, he followed Old Man Zheng and Zhang Erpang back to the Xiangyun Mountain Medicinal Cuisine Restaurant.

Along the way, disciples, whether they knew him or not, greeted him warmly, calling him "Senior Brother Wei." Wei Ping'an responded with a smile to each one, showing no arrogance whatsoever. He knew very well that most of these people were there because of his current status, but one cannot refuse a smiling face, so he had to respond accordingly.

Several outer disciples who used to ignore him now greeted him with smiles and clasped hands from afar. Wei Ping'an understood perfectly well, but didn't expose them, responding politely. He had experienced the fickleness of human relationships since he was a child in the servants' quarters, and wouldn't let these changes make him arrogant or hold a grudge. Life is for himself, there's no need to worry about such things.

Everything in the courtyard of the medicine testing hall remained the same. The bluestone slabs were swept clean, and the stove was polished to a shine. His elm wood medicine spatula was still hanging in its old spot, its handle worn smooth by countless hands. The medicine jars in the corner were neatly stacked, and the door to the drying room was locked; the key was still in Old Zheng's hands.

In the inner room, his bedding was neatly folded and folded into a square. Beside his pillow lay an old herbal medicine atlas, its pages curled up at the corners.

"I'll take care of you every day."

Zhang Erpang scratched the back of his head and chuckled, "At first, I always thought you'd just walk in one day. But I never believed it, so I kept it in mind. Now my wish has come true."

Wei Ping'an sat on the edge of the bed and reached out to press the neatly folded quilt. It was soft and smelled of sunshine.

When I left, I thought I would never come back. Now that I'm sitting here again, it feels like a lifetime has passed.

"Extra dinner tonight!"

Zhang Erpang rolled up his sleeves and rushed out: "I'll go to the storeroom and get half a carcass of spirit pork, and two jars of spirit fruit wine! Consider it a welcome dinner for Brother Wei!"

He ran off and disappeared in a flash. His chubby body bounced around, looking even happier than during the New Year.

Old Zheng squatted by the stove, starting a fire to stew meat. The flames licked the bottom of the pot, casting flickering light and shadow on his face.

"Be more careful when you go to Danfeng in the future."

Without turning his head, he said, "The Medicine Blending Hall is not like the Medicine Testing Hall; people here are more complicated. Don't be careless with Steward Sun; he's always been petty and has been targeting you in the past. Now that you've become the headmaster's personal disciple, who knows what kind of bad things he's up to."

"I know, Uncle Zheng." Wei Ping'an nodded. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

He was never a naive or innocent person. After years of struggling in the servants' quarters, he had a keen eye for human nature. He knew Deacon Sun's character better than anyone; not only was the man petty, but he was also incredibly vengeful. Sun used to hold a grudge for three months over a batch of medicine dregs, and now, with this change in attitude, he'd probably remember it for a lifetime.

As dusk fell, the stewed pork was ready. The aroma filled the entire courtyard.

Zhang Erpang moved a table to the courtyard and set it out with stewed meat, spirit rice porridge, stir-fried spirit beans, and two jars of spirit fruit wine. Old Man Zheng sat in the main seat, with Wei Ping'an and Zhang Erpang on either side.

Old Zheng was the first to pick up his wine bowl, pausing on the table before saying, "Come on! The first bowl is a toast to your safe return! A narrow escape from death will surely bring you good fortune!"

"Respect to Brother Wei!"

The three bowls collided together, making a crisp, clear sound.

Wei Pingan took a sip; the spirit fruit wine was sweet and didn't burn his throat. It slid down his throat, warming him from his throat to his stomach.

They ate and chatted. They talked about the miscellaneous things that had happened at the medicine testing center over the past two months, the commotion around the area after the Qi family was wiped out, and the dangers along the way to Luoxia Valley. When they heard that Wei Ping'an had withstood Qi Mang's palm strike, Zhang Erpang's chopsticks creaked in his hand. Old Zheng's pipe hung in mid-air, not being put down for a long time.

"You can't be so silly in the future."

Old Zheng sighed and tapped his pipe: "All achievements and fame are meaningless; nothing is more important than life. If something really happens, run if you can; don't try to tough it out."

"I know," Wei Ping'an mumbled, gnawing on some spirit pork. "I value my life. Who would willingly endure a half-step Foundation Establishment unless they had absolutely no other choice?"

These words are spoken from the heart. He only has one life, and he would never hold onto it if he could escape. This was true when he fled famine in Daliu Village, and it was true when he hid from Steward Sun's harassment at the medicine testing hall. It will be the same in the future.

When the moon was high in the sky, Old Man Zheng stood up and cleared away the bowls and chopsticks. Zhang Erpang picked up the remaining half-jar of wine and refused to let go, only putting it down obediently after Old Man Zheng slapped him on the back of the head.

The party ended when the moon was high in the sky. Zhang Erpang, his face flushed from drinking, staggered back to his bunk, muttering, "It's so good that Brother Wei is back."

After tidying up the table, Old Zheng patted Wei Ping'an on the shoulder before leaving: "I'm going to Rongyao Hall in a couple of days. Come back and visit when you have time. You'll always have a job at the Trial Medicine Hall. Don't worry about Steward Sun. With me here, he can't cause any trouble."

"I'll remember, Uncle Zheng." Wei Ping'an nodded.

The courtyard gradually quieted down. Wei Ping'an didn't rush into the house; instead, he sat down on the threshold and looked up at the sky.

The moon was almost full, its gentle light bathing the cool bluestone slabs. A breeze carried the scent of medicine, the familiar aroma of herbs brewed year-round in the medicine testing hall, a scent that brought a sense of peace.

He touched the Xuanwen Cauldron on his back through his clothes. The cauldron was warm, and the patterns held a faint dark light, much more vibrant than before he fell off the cliff. The old man of Xuan Cliff said that he could come to the valley to find him again after he had established his foundation. The day the Xuanwen Cauldron was reunited would be the day they met again.

The road ahead is still long.

From a menial servant in the drug testing hall to a glorious disciple and the headmaster's personal tutor, it seemed like a meteoric rise.

But only he knew the dangers involved. Qi Mang's blade, the wind of Broken Soul Cliff, the miasma at the bottom of the cliff—any one wrong step and he wouldn't be alive today. Others only saw his glorious side, but they had no idea the days he spent practicing his skills at the bottom of the cliff, banging his head against the wall in pain.

Wei Ping'an smiled, took out the bottle of century-old ginseng dew that Old Zheng had given him from his pocket, uncorked it, and smelled it. The ginseng aroma was rich and mellow.

"The best is yet to come," he muttered to himself, shoving the stopper back in and tucking it into his pocket.

He got up, dusted himself off, and pushed open the door to go inside. Moonlight fell behind him, casting a long shadow that made the silhouette of him carrying the black-patterned pot stand out steadily.

When Wei Ping'an lay down on the bed, Zhang Erpang was already snoring. Wei Ping'an put his hands behind his head, stared blankly at the roof beam, and went over the events of the day in the palace again.

The sect leader's reward is generous, and Xie Yunzhou must have planned to take on a disciple long ago, so there's no problem with that. The only thing that bothers him is Ouyang Jie's gaze. He has no connection with the Enforcement Hall, and even less with this elder. Why is he staring at the Xuanwen Pot?

After thinking for a long time without coming up with a solution, he simply gave up. He figured he'd deal with whatever came his way; thinking about it now was pointless.

He rolled over and yawned. Before his consciousness faded, a thought suddenly popped into his head: he needed to find out the rules there before reporting to the Medicine Melting Hall in three days. The core of Dan Peak was not an easy place to stay; the more prestigious the place, the deeper the water often ran.

Meanwhile, in the deacon's courtyard on the west side of Danfeng, after hearing his disciple's report, Deacon Sun smashed the teacup in his hand on the ground, shattering it into several pieces.

The scalding hot tea splashed onto the back of his hand, but he didn't feel any pain.

"He came back alive? And became a glorious disciple, a personal disciple of Master Xie?"

His face was ashen, his teeth clenched, and his nails dug deep into his palms: "How can this lowly servant be so tough!"

The moonlight shone in through the window, illuminating his gloomy face.

He had assumed Wei Ping'an was dead, and that the job at the Medicine Testing Hall and the formula for the Qi-Stabilizing Powder would eventually be his. He never expected the kid to return alive and rise to become the headmaster's personal disciple. From a menial servant to a direct disciple, he was now half a generation higher than him, the steward. From now on, he wouldn't even have the right to be arrogant; he'd have to bow to him when they met.

No. We can't just let it go like this.

Deacon Sun narrowed his eyes, a ruthless glint in them. He paced around the room twice, then suddenly stopped, a cold smile playing on his lips. So what if he became a personal disciple? Life is long; there will always be times when he gets complacent.

The peaceful days at the drug testing center are probably coming to an end.