Chapter 121: Chapter 120: Wang Miao Steps Forward

The next day, in a side hall of the Pill Hall.

Looking at the Pill Hall Steward—a man who was usually all smiles but now had a grim expression—Jiang He’s face was pale with alarm, his heart pounding with unease.

"Steward, may I ask why you summoned me?"

Jiang He forced a smile and asked with a bow.

"Jiang He, pack your things. You will leave the Pill Hall today."

The Steward barely lifted his eyelids, his gaze sweeping over Jiang He without a shred of warmth. His voice was flat yet left no room for argument.

"Wh-why? Steward, I have always been diligent and hardworking! I’ve never made a single mistake!"

Jiang He felt as if he had been struck by lightning. He snapped his head up, the color draining from his face.

The Pill Hall managed the refinement and sale of elixirs. Not only could its members purchase elixirs at an internal price, but they could also frequently obtain some inferior-quality elixirs for free, making it one of the most coveted departments in the Qingxuan Sect.

To get into the Pill Hall, he had paid a hefty price and called in many favors, spending practically all the Contribution Points he had saved up over the years.

Hearing he was being dismissed so suddenly, he felt like his world was collapsing.

"Never made a mistake?"

The Steward snorted coldly, cutting him off, his gaze as sharp as a blade.

"Passing off inferior elixirs as good ones, swindling your fellow disciples, and ruining the Pill Hall’s reputation—you don’t consider that a mistake?"

"If it weren’t for your past diligence, I would have already handed you over to the Law Enforcement Hall! Do you think you’d get off with a simple dismissal?"

Jiang He trembled, instantly understanding the reason. It was about Fang Han. He scrambled to defend himself, his voice laced with urgency and grievance.

"Steward, please see the truth! That batch of Peiyuan Pills was just slightly inferior in quality, not unusable... Besides, it was True Inheritor Chu Feng’s idea! I was just following orders, I had no choice!"

"Silence! If you’re going to lie, at least come up with a better reason. True Inheritor Chu Feng holds no position in the Pill Hall. How could he possibly give you orders?"

"The evidence of you swindling people with inferior elixirs is irrefutable. What does it have to do with anyone else? Stop spouting nonsense and dragging others into this! The rules of the Pill Hall will not be broken!" the Steward scolded harshly, refusing to hear any more excuses.

"I..."

Jiang He opened his mouth, but upon seeing the Steward’s cold and resolute gaze, he knew any further defense was futile. There was no turning back from this.

He had taken on the task of making things difficult for Fang Han, thinking he could get on True Inheritor Chu Feng’s good side. He never imagined it would end like this, losing even the job he already had.

His face flushed red, then turned pale. A massive wave of regret washed over him. ’Why did I act so impulsively back then, agreeing to trouble Fang Han just to curry favor with True Inheritor Chu Feng?’

Dejectedly, he gathered his belongings. He staggered away, his retreating figure a picture of desolation.

’I wonder if Chu Feng will protect this pawn of his...’

The Steward watched coldly as Jiang He disappeared through the doorway, his expression impassive.

Of course, this wasn’t the first time he’d heard about Jiang He swindling people with inferior elixirs. He had simply been turning a blind eye before.

Chen Xuan was an Elder with real power, and Chu Feng was a True Inheritor with considerable potential. He didn’t want to offend either side, so he was happy to feign ignorance.

But the situation had changed. True Inheritor Wang Miao had sent someone with a message, and the words expressed strong support for Fang Han.

And who was Wang Miao?

He was ninety-third on the Celestial Pride List. His future achievements were far beyond what an ordinary True Inheritor like Chu Feng could ever hope to match.

For a calculating man like him, the choice was obvious.

Getting rid of a pawn like Jiang He not only served as a gesture of goodwill toward Wang Miao but also upheld the Pill Hall’s official rules. It killed two birds with one stone.

...

At noon, the Sub-Branch cafeteria was bustling with noise.

Fang Han and Xiao Chen sat across from each other, eating their meal.

Xiao Chen shoveled a few bites of rice into his mouth, then suddenly remembered something. He leaned closer, lowered his voice, and a hint of glee appeared on his face.

"Fang Han, I’ve got news for you! That guy, Jiang He, who gave you trouble at the Pill Hall? He was kicked out this morning!"

"Really?"

Fang Han paused mid-motion, his chopsticks hovering over the food. He looked up at Xiao Chen, feeling the lingering frustration in his heart vanish, replaced by a deep sense of satisfaction. At the same time, a question arose.

"Why was he kicked out?"

"The official reason was for swindling people with inferior elixirs and ruining the Pill Hall’s reputation."

Xiao Chen leaned in even closer, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"But the real reason was Senior Brother Wang Miao. I heard True Inheritor Wang Miao’s side spoke up for you."

"Senior Brother Wang Miao is on the Celestial Pride List and his influence is soaring. Which Steward at the Pill Hall would dare disrespect him? Since he stepped in for you, the Pill Hall naturally had to make a gesture."

"Senior Brother Wang Miao..."

Fang Han’s heart stirred, and a warm feeling spread through him.

He had only met Wang Miao a few times, yet the man was willing to intervene on his behalf. This was no small favor.

Although he knew it was certainly a form of investment in his Talent, how many adults in this world act without considering their own interests? How many truly selfless people were there?

Even he couldn’t be one of them.

He nodded, etching this gratitude into his heart.

As they were talking, a slight commotion started near the cafeteria entrance.

Fang Han looked up and saw Wang Meng, dressed in a green female Disciple’s Robe. She was as cool and detached as ever, walking into the cafeteria alone.

Her gaze swept across the cafeteria, seemingly searching for an empty seat. For a brief moment, her eyes met Fang Han’s, and a complex emotion flickered within them before she quickly looked away.

"I’ll be right back."

After a moment of thought, Fang Han said to Xiao Chen and walked over to Wang Meng.

"Wang Meng."

"Fang Han, what is it?"

Wang Meng stopped and looked at Fang Han, an unreadable emotion in her cool eyes. This was the first time Fang Han had proactively approached her since they joined the Qingxuan Sect.

"I just heard about what happened at the Pill Hall. Please thank Senior Brother Wang Miao for speaking out on my behalf. And please convey my sincere gratitude to him."

Fang Han said with a sincere attitude.

He didn’t have a very good impression of Wang Meng, but his impression of Wang Miao had always been excellent, and now he was extremely grateful to him.

Regardless of the reason, the man had indeed stood up for him. That alone was worthy of his gratitude.

"Mm."

Wang Meng gave a slight nod in acknowledgement. Without another word, she turned and walked toward an empty table.

Fang Han didn’t mind and returned to his seat.

Their brief exchange caught the attention of many other disciples in the cafeteria.

"Why is Fang Han talking to Wang Meng?"

"He must be thanking Senior Brother Wang Miao for stepping in. Tsk, for Senior Brother Wang Miao to personally intervene for him... he must think very highly of him!"

"Isn’t that obvious? Fang Han is now one of the top ten geniuses in our Sub-Branch. He’s worth investing in..."

"With Senior Brother Wang Miao looking out for him, Fang Han’s life in the Sect will be much easier. Things like being harassed at the Pill Hall probably won’t happen again."

The low murmurs of discussion from the surrounding tables could be faintly heard.

Fang Han paid them no mind and simply continued to eat in silence.

He was grateful for Wang Miao’s help, but relying on the power of others was ultimately a secondary path. One’s own strength was fundamental.

Just then, the conversation from a group of disciples at a nearby table caught his attention.

"Did you hear? A True Disciple from the Netherworld Pavilion is dead!"

"The Netherworld Pavilion? The one that’s also one of the Seven Sects but is always at odds with our Qingxuan Sect?"

"That’s the one! Rumor has it that the Netherworld Pavilion’s True Disciple was killed by one of our own Qingxuan Sect’s True Disciples!"

"Is that true? You can’t just spread rumors like that!"

"Tch, the two sects have always had a bad relationship. When disciples are out training, aren’t there always conflicts, injuries, and deaths? Didn’t we lose a Steward to someone from the Netherworld Pavilion just last year?"

"Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. The two sects have deep-seated grievances. It’s perfectly normal for disciples to kill each other in private. It’s just that this time, a True Inheritor died, so it’s become a big deal."

Fang Han listened silently, a chill running through his mind.

The Cyan Cloud Sect, Lingyun Sword Sect, Overlord Blade Sect, Vajra Temple, Netherworld Pavilion, Baihua Valley, and Tingyu Building—these Seven Major Sects coexisted in Qingyang County. Due to competition for resources and benefits, their relationships were intricate and complex.

Among them, the Qingxuan Sect and the Netherworld Pavilion had always been at odds.

Other factions were wary of the Qingxuan Sect and would generally not cause trouble for its disciples. Even if conflicts arose, they wouldn’t resort to lethal force. But the Netherworld Pavilion was a definite exception.

On the contrary, they might even try to kill him precisely because he was a disciple of the Qingxuan Sect.

’In the future, when I’m out on missions, I must be on high alert if I encounter any disciples from the Netherworld Pavilion.’

After finishing his meal and parting ways with Xiao Chen, Fang Han went straight to a familiar, secluded grove in the Sub-Branch.

After a short rest to let his food digest, he stood firm, cleared his mind of distracting thoughts, and began practicing the "Startled Swan Step."

WHOOSH, WHOOSH, WHOOSH—!

Under the effect of his Sixteenfold Stepping Talent Amplification, his comprehension of this Step Technique deepened by the day, and he gained new insights with each practice session.

His figure flashed and weaved across the forest clearing like a startled swan’s fleeting shadow, leaving a trail of afterimages.

His footwork became increasingly unpredictable, and the coordination between his Inner Qi and Body Technique grew more harmonious. Both his linear speed and his explosive changes in direction had improved significantly. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

He could clearly feel that after his recent period of Cultivation, his "Startled Swan Step" was not far from the Realm of Perfection.

With a bit more hard training, he would naturally take that final step and achieve Perfection.

’I’m still far short of the Contribution Points needed to exchange for a Middle Grade Body Technique!’

The thought of his nearly perfected "Startled Swan Step" also brought a wave of frustration to Fang Han’s mind.

Once the "Startled Swan Step" reached Perfection, it would mean he had reached the limit of this Low Grade Step Technique.

If he wanted to continue advancing his movement skills, he would have to switch to a higher-level Middle Grade Stepping Technique.

A single Middle Grade Stepping Technique cost at least a hundred Contribution Points to redeem from the Library Pavilion.

After spending three hundred Contribution Points on the True Spirit Pill, he now had only sixty Contribution Points left on his Identity Jade Token—not nearly enough to exchange for a Middle Grade Stepping Technique.

’And what’s more, the resources needed to increase my Talent Amplification multiplier later on are astronomical!’

Fang Han summoned his system panel, and it appeared in his vision.

[Root Bone Talent Amplification: 16x (Level 5 Amplification requires 100,000 silver)]

[Swordsmanship Talent Amplification: 16x (Level 5 Amplification requires 100,000 silver)]

[Stepping Talent Amplification: 16x (Level 5 Amplification requires 100,000 silver)]

The next upgrade for all three Talents required a full 100,000 silver each, which was undoubtedly an astronomical figure.

Relying solely on his fixed monthly benefits and ranking rewards, it would take him ages to save up that much.

"I have to take on Sect missions again."

Fang Han brought his practice to a halt and stood still, letting out a slow breath. A flash of resolve appeared in his eyes.

He desperately needed Sect Contribution Points. He had rested for a while; it was time to start taking on Sect missions again.

...

In the True Inheritance Courtyard, inside Chu Feng’s residence.

Jiang He stood with his hands hanging at his sides, a pitiful and wronged expression on his face.

He recounted the story of his dismissal by the Pill Hall Steward, embellishing the details and particularly emphasizing how "unreasonable" the Steward had been and how he had "disregarded Chu Feng’s honor."