My Years as a Menace in the Sect

Wei Ping'an squatted on the threshold of the alchemy room, peering through the crack in the door, his face scrunched up like a steamed bun. Two alchemy apprentices from the neighboring courtyard were squatting by the wall chatting, their words carried on the wind and hitting him every single one of them.

"Have you heard? That Glory disciple at the foot of the mountain has caused another furnace explosion. I remember the courtyard wall was just repaired a few days ago, and then yesterday a corner of it collapsed."

"Hey, what's so strange about that? It's exploded eight times in half a month. Senior Brother Medicine Store said he's almost running out of furnaces to supply, and the storeroom manager has a long face every day."

"Why did Headmaster Xie accept him as his personal disciple? Aside from his contributions to Sunset Valley, his alchemy skills are inferior to mine. I think his reputation as a 'glorious disciple' will be ruined sooner or later by a furnace explosion."

The two left laughing and joking, leaving Wei Ping'an squatting on the doorstep, his face turning red and white in turns.

It's shameful, utterly shameful. Wei Ping'an, the first surviving glorious disciple of the Cangxia Sect since its founding, and the personal disciple of Sect Leader Xie Yunzhou, is now remembered not as a "young hero" but as "that guy who's always causing trouble in the furnace." If he keeps causing trouble like this, his reputation will be scattered all over the mountain like those shards of pottery.

No, he can't keep refining pills in the courtyard. If he keeps doing that, Headmaster Xie will lose face. He needs to find a secluded spot to practice secretly, and come back when he's refined high-quality pills, dazzling them with his brilliance.

He acted immediately. He turned and went back into the house to pack his things. He wrapped the Xuanwen Pot in three layers of black cloth and stuffed it into a cloth bag. He took out a spare low-grade furnace from his storage bag and carefully inspected it, confirming that it was intact. He then counted out ten portions of medicinal herbs and stacked them one by one into the bag. His bosom was stuffed full of invisibility talismans, speed-up talismans, and antidote powder. Even the heart-protecting pills given by Old Man Zheng were wrapped in silk cloth and stuffed into the innermost pocket of his chest. He couldn't be without any of his life-saving tools.

Before leaving, he found a tattered straw hat and put it on his head, pulling the brim low to cover half his face. Carrying a cloth bag, he slipped along the path towards the foot of the mountain. He encountered several Danfeng disciples along the way, and quickly lowered his head, walking close to the wall, his steps light and fast. A junior disciple, watching his retreating figure, wondered, "Strange, why is this guy carrying such a big pot? He looks a bit like Senior Brother Wei."

The senior brother next to him scoffed, "Don't be ridiculous. Senior Brother Wei is always refining pills and medicines in the courtyard, how could he have time to run outside the mountain? He's probably one of the servants from the miscellaneous hall going out to brew a big pot of medicine." Hearing this, Wei Ping'an quickened his pace and dashed out of the mountain gate in a flash.

About twenty miles south of the sect, there was a Black Wind Forest. The place was secluded and densely forested, rarely visited by anyone, making it perfect for clandestine alchemy. He slipped inside, found a sheltered clearing, took out his furnace from his storage bag, set it up, and then set up three layers of simple warning arrays around it, placing spirit stones at the base and setting the sensitivity to maximum. Not satisfied with just setting up the arrays, he scattered some creaking grass along the four escape routes in all directions; stepping on it would create a squeaking sound, even more effective than an alarm.

Alright. Even if a ferocious beast approaches, he can sense it half an incense stick's time in advance, and there's definitely enough time to escape. He's always been extremely protective of his life.

After tidying up, he sat cross-legged, took a deep breath, and lifted the lid of the furnace. "Please, give me some face." He tapped the furnace and muttered to himself, "Today we'll try to make a batch of top-grade alchemy." After muttering this, a pale blue flame appeared at his fingertips and was directed to the bottom of the furnace. He warmed the furnace, added the medicine, and melted the liquid, proceeding step by step in an orderly manner.

Shen Qingyao's advice was indeed effective; his fire control was much more stable than before. The five medicinal herbs melted one by one, and the liquid swirled slowly in the cauldron, looking quite promising. Wei Ping'an didn't dare blink, channeling his spiritual energy into the cauldron thread by thread, beads of sweat slowly forming on his forehead. "Stay calm, stay calm... Take it slow with this pill-condensing step, no rush, no rush." ​​The more he said no rush, the more his hands trembled. He momentarily lost focus and increased his spiritual energy output slightly, causing the liquid in the cauldron to suddenly churn and hiss, the cauldron turning red at a visible speed.

Oh no! It was too late to turn off the fire. The cauldron lid was rattling and popping, and hot steam mixed with the smell of burning was billowing out. It looked like it would explode even more violently than last time. He focused his energy in his dantian, instantly activating the Xuanwen Body Tempering Technique in his arms. He grabbed the scorching cauldron, swung his arms wide, and hurled it hard into the bushes towards the forest entrance.

"Get out of here—!"

"Boom—!"

A deafening explosion reverberated through the forest, sending plumes of smoke and black dregs flying everywhere, flattening a patch of bushes. Wei Ping'an covered his ears and crouched on the ground, waiting for the smoke to clear before peeking out. Just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he heard several angry curses and coughs coming from the bushes.

"Cough cough cough... What the hell is that!"

"Ptooey! I've broken one of my teeth!"

"Damn, this kid did that on purpose, didn't he?!"

Three disheveled men emerged from the flattened bushes, their hair a mess like a bird's nest, their faces streaked with black and white, and medicine residue still clinging to their lips. The leader was a scarred man with a scar running from his left eyebrow to his jawline, looking fierce and menacing. At this moment, his chest heaved violently with rage, and his eyes were fixed on Wei Ping'an as if he wanted to devour him.

Oh no, they threw it at someone. Wait, these people are acting suspiciously, hiding in the bushes. They're obviously not just passing by. Why would a nice person squat in the bushes for so long?

"Who are you people?" Wei Ping'an slowly stood up, his hand discreetly reaching behind his back for the communication talisman in his pocket. "What are you trying to do, sneaking around here?"

Scarface wiped the medicine residue from his face: "What are you doing? Taking your dog's life!"

He was Qi Kui, a member of a collateral branch of the Qi family, with a mid-stage Qi Refining Stage 7 cultivation. He had narrowly escaped the Qi family's massacre while on official business, and afterwards hid in the Black Wind Forest with two subordinates. A few days ago, he received a message from Deacon Sun, offering a staggering reward of 500 spirit stones and a bottle of Foundation Establishment Pills, instructing him to kill Wei Ping'an and stage a scene of a ferocious beast attacking someone. He had planned to ambush Wei Ping'an when he was most focused on refining pills, intending to finish him off with a single strike. However, to their utter surprise, the furnace cauldron flew over first, blasting them in the face.

Qi Kui grew angrier the more he thought about it, pointing his ring-pommel sword at Wei Ping'an: "You little errand boy, you're pretty tough. You survived the fall from the Broken Soul Cliff, and the exploding furnace. But today, you're not getting away." Wei Ping'an's heart skipped a beat, his mind racing. A remnant of the Qi family? It must be that old bastard, Steward Sun. He hired thugs to assassinate him after failing to bring down the medicine storehouse. How insidious. He was panicked inside, but didn't show it on his face. He took a half-step back, leaning against the stone wall, and chuckled: "Gentlemen, is there some misunderstanding? I'm just an ordinary outer disciple, I don't have many spirit stones on me. You've robbed the wrong person."

"Enough with the nonsense." The skinny, monkey-like cultivator next to Qi Kui spat. "We're here for you, Wei Ping'an. You're paid to do what's right, so blame yourself for offending the wrong person."

"Don't waste time talking to him." Another short, stout cultivator, wielding a spiked club, said, "Let's finish this quickly to avoid attracting the sect's attention." Qi Kui pointed his blade forward: "Go! Kill him and go back for the reward!"

Two subordinates immediately pounced, one at the sixth level of Qi Refining and the other at the late stage of the fifth level, blocking his retreat from both sides. Wei Ping'an's first reaction was to run. Fighting was pointless; the opponents were at most at the mid-stage of the seventh level, and for him, a mere fifth level, to fight them head-on was pure suicide. He turned and ran towards the pre-prepared escape route, channeling his Profound Pattern Body Tempering Technique into his legs, making him more than twice as fast as usual, and in a few leaps he covered several meters.

"Trying to run?" Qi Kui sneered and caught up with Wei Ping'an, his seventh-level cultivation making him much faster. Wei Ping'an reached into his pocket as he ran, pulling out a handful of itching powder and tossing it behind him: "Take this!" White powder scattered everywhere. His two henchmen, rushing in too quickly, inhaled a couple of breaths and immediately coughed, tears streaming down their faces, slowing their pace. "It's itching powder! This kid's cunning!" the skinny monkey cursed between coughs. This was something Wei Ping'an had concocted at the drug testing hall; it wasn't poisonous, but it caused excruciating itching, specifically for escaping.

Taking advantage of this moment, Wei Ping'an darted out again, disappearing deeper into the dense forest. The denser the trees, the harder it was to utilize the advantage of higher cultivation levels; his agile movements actually gave him an edge. Qi Kui's expression darkened further. He hadn't expected a mere fifth-level Qi Refining servant to have so many tricks up his sleeve. "Kid, don't run away if you've got the guts!" he roared, unleashing a pale gray blade of energy from his knife, aimed straight at Wei Ping'an's back. Hearing the commotion, Wei Ping'an lunged to the side, barely dodging the attack. The blade grazed his arm, drawing blood instantly.

He winced in pain. There was no escape; Qi Kui was too fast. If he continued running, he'd be caught and killed sooner or later. He stopped, turned, and untied the Xuanwen Pot, holding it horizontally in front of him as a shield. The black cloth fell to the ground, the pot gleaming faintly with a dark light. Qi Kui's eyes lit up: "Xuanwen Pot! No wonder you're so lucky, you have a treasure protecting you. Kill you, and this treasure will be mine!" His attack became even more ruthless, his ring-pommel sword slashing down on the pot with a powerful gust of wind.

Clang! The deafening sound of metal clashing against metal shook the forest. Wei Ping'an's hands went numb, his arms felt like they'd been struck by a massive boulder, and he staggered back three or four steps, his back slamming heavily against a tree trunk. The mid-stage seventh level was indeed formidable. He gritted his teeth, using the pot to shield himself from Qi Kui's blade, each strike making his arms feel heavier, his blood churning violently. His two henchmen, recovering from their attack, flanked him from both sides, their spiked clubs and short swords raining down relentlessly. Wei Ping'an, leaning against the tree, struggled to stay upright, relying entirely on the pot for protection, yet he still sustained several wounds, his Daoist robe stained crimson with blood.

If he lingered any longer, he'd be killed without a fight. He glanced at the communication talisman on his chest. Should he squeeze it or not? Squeezing it would be embarrassing; he'd sneaked out to refine pills and been ambushed, and if word got back to the sect, he'd lose face even more. But what was the point of saving face if he was going to die? Face was nothing compared to life. Taking advantage of the force of Qi Kui's slash, he rolled backward, reached for his chest, and crushed the communication talisman. *Snap*, the spiritual light shot straight towards the sect.

"You dare send a message!" Qi Kui's expression changed drastically, his moves becoming even more ruthless. "Quickly finish this! Kill him and leave immediately!" Two of his men charged forward like madmen. Wei Ping'an could only cower behind the pot, enduring the blows. The pot clanged as it was hacked at, the impact numbing his arms and drawing blood from the corners of his mouth. Hold on, Senior Sister Su, you'd better hurry, or I'll really be mincemeat.

Inside the main hall of the Enforcement Hall, Su Yin sat behind her desk, interrogating the medicine storehouse manager. Evidence of hemp seed powder and dispensing records were spread out on the table, and the manager insisted it was the negligence of a lowly servant. Her fingertips tapped the table, her eyes as cold as ice. Suddenly, a faint heat rose in her palm—a communication talisman! She abruptly stood up, knocking over a teacup and spilling tea all over the table. "Something's happened in Black Wind Forest." The enforcement disciples beside her were stunned; they had never seen Senior Sister Su like this before. "Gather a team of ten and follow me, full speed ahead." Grabbing a long whip from the wall, she strode out, her black robe sweeping across the threshold with a gust of wind. The ten-man team was assembled, and she was already standing at the door. The word "go" landed, and she transformed into a black shadow, speeding away into the mountains.

In the Black Wind Forest, Wei Ping'an was nearing his limit. Qi Kui's blows grew heavier with each strike, his two henchmen specifically targeting his lower body. "Thud!" The short knife sliced ​​across his side, blood soaking his Taoist robe. He slid halfway down against a tree trunk, barely able to lift the pot in his hands. Qi Kui, knife in hand, closed in: "Kid, stop trying. Sending a message is useless. By the time the enforcement team arrives, you'll be dead. Hand over the Xuanwen pot obediently, and I'll give you a quick death."

"Dream on." Wei Ping'an panted heavily. "Want the pot? Come and get it yourself if you dare." His heart was pounding with panic. Was he really going to die here? His hand stealthily reached for the last explosive talisman in his robes. He'd take a gamble; a serious injury was better than death. Seeing that Wei Ping'an still wouldn't back down, Qi Kui sneered and raised his ring-pommel sword, channeling all his spiritual energy into the blade, which shone brightly with a gray light: "You won't listen to reason, so die!"

The sword energy condensed and headed straight for his heart.

Wei Ping'an gritted his teeth, about to throw the explosive talisman, when a clear, angry shout came from the valley entrance: "Stop!" A black whip lashed through the air, striking the side of the blade with precision. Clang! Qi Kui's wrist went numb, and his ring-pommel sword was deflected. The blade's energy grazed Wei Ping'an's shoulder and slashed hard at the tree trunk, snapping half of it in half and causing it to crash down. Su Yin arrived, her black robes fluttering as she landed in front of Wei Ping'an. Her whip was held horizontally in front of her, her eyes as cold as ice: "The remnants of the Qi family have quite the nerve. Daring to harm a disciple of the sect's honor within the territory of the Cangxia Sect, who gave you the audacity?" Ten enforcement disciples quickly dispersed after her.

Qi Kui's face turned pale instantly: "Retreat!" He turned and disappeared into the dense forest. "Trying to leave?" Su Yin sneered, flicking her whip to wrap around Qi Kui's ankle and yanking him hard. He lost his balance and fell to the ground with a thud, his mouth full of mud. His two henchmen fared even worse, not lasting more than three moves before being knocked to the ground. Qi Kui struggled, trying to bite off poison to commit suicide, but Su Yin flicked his jaw with her toe, dislocating it. "Take them back for interrogation." The enforcement disciples stepped forward, bound the three men like dumplings, gagged them, and led them back.

The crisis was over. Wei Ping'an leaned against the tree trunk and let out a long breath. His tense nerves relaxed, and his wounds began to ache, making him dizzy. He opened his mouth to speak, but everything went black, and his body went limp, causing him to fall to the side. Su Yin turned around abruptly and caught him. The boy was covered in blood, his face as pale as paper, and his brows were still slightly furrowed; even in his unconsciousness, he was restless. The Xuanwen pot slid out and landed on the ground with a dull thud. She glanced down at him, bent down, and picked him up horizontally, avoiding touching the wound on his side.

"Back to the sect." With those three words, she picked up the person and headed towards the sect. The enforcement disciples exchanged bewildered glances and quickly followed, escorting the prisoner. Senior Sister Su was actually carrying someone herself? This was unprecedented. Previously, when disciples were injured, they were always handed over to the accompanying healers; Senior Sister Su rarely even gave them a second glance. No one dared to ask questions and silently followed.

As they reached the forest entrance, they encountered Shen Qingyao, who was rushing towards them. She was carrying a food box, her hair disheveled and panting. She had come this way after hearing the explosion, but she was too late. Seeing Wei Ping'an unconscious in Su Yin's arms, she abruptly stopped, the handle of the food box buckling under her grip. "How is he?" she asked, her voice strained as she hurried over.

"He was badly injured and fainted from exhaustion. I'm taking him back to the Enforcement Hall to treat his injuries." Su Yin said calmly, but she didn't loosen her grip on him.

"I'll go with you. I know about pharmacology," Shen Qingyao said immediately. "We also have Mind-Calming Pills and Hemostatic Powder here."

Su Yin glanced at her and nodded.

The two walked side by side, one carrying the person in her arms and the other carrying the medicine, neither speaking a word. Shen Qingyao would occasionally glance at Wei Ping'an's expression, while Su Yin, though steady on her feet, subconsciously softened her steps to avoid bumping the person in her arms. The setting sun filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the three of them, stretching out long shadows.

No one noticed the Xuanwen pot lying on the ground. The patterns on the pot's surface brightened even more, as Qi Kui's sword energy was completely absorbed, and dark light slowly flowed within the patterns. No one also noticed that deep within Qi Kui's sleeve, which he was being held captive, lay half a broken communication talisman, the remaining spiritual energy imprint on it faintly pointing towards Dan Peak.

Wei Ping'an has clearly made a huge mistake by secretly refining pills. By the time he wakes up, news of the attack on a Glory disciple will probably have spread throughout the entire sect. His reputation for causing the furnace explosion hasn't been cleared yet, and now he's been given another reason to "be ambushed while refining pills outside." If he finds out that he was carried back by Su Yin after he fainted, and that he happened to run into Shen Qingyao, he'll probably be incredibly annoyed.

After all, saving face is only slightly more important than life, though only slightly. Saving face is useless if you lose your life; this was Wei Ping'an's last thought before he fainted.