C9 Outer Sect's Third Place!!

Elder Leng's generosity knew no bounds.

The Immortal Mansion bestowed upon them was so opulent, it could easily be mistaken for an imperial palace.

Hsu Qingqing's arrogance had reached new heights. She even donned a phoenix robe—a symbol reserved for emperors!

Lately, Qingqing's confidence had soared, a welcome change from her once somber and solitary demeanor. Yet, the news of Qin Hao's death still caught her off guard.

"Now you can be at ease; Qin Hao is no more."

Atop Moon Worshipping Peak, Qingqing granted Lin Xiao a plot of spiritual land, complete with a lavish cottage that significantly upgraded his living conditions. His duties, however, remained unchanged: tending to the spiritual land, transplanting flowers, and nurturing plants...

For Lin Xiao, the silver lining was that no one suspected him in the deaths of Qin Hao and Ye Chen.

His handiwork had been flawless.

He had arranged the bodies to suggest a mutual duel, each clutching a dagger, having seemingly inflicted a fatal wound on the other.

"The man who killed Qin Hao was named Ye Chen, a man under Lin Xiuxiu. But Ye Chen also met his end at Qin Hao's hand, leaving me at a loss for what to do next. All I can do is send word to the Qin family to negotiate with Xiuxiu's side. From now on, you're with me. Don't worry, I won't harm or berate you."

Qingqing implored with sincerity, "But your cultivation level is too low, merely at the Qi Training Third Layer, and without a spiritual root. Rather than wandering the Outer Sect indefinitely and becoming someone's underling, why not join me and oversee the spiritual land?

Lin Xiao, I owe you a great debt. You possess a pill that can awaken a spiritual root. Why would you give it to me? It could have altered your destiny.

Sigh, just take good care of the spiritual land. It's not really mine; I've only recently come under my master's wing. He is the sect's sole Alchemist and quite renowned across the North Continent. The crops here are far superior to Qin Hao's mundane harvests. You must tend to them with the utmost diligence, for if they perish, I doubt I'll reap any benefits."

After finishing her words, Qingqing walked away.

Lin Xiao gazed at the spiritual field, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

Touching Qingqing at Moon Worshipping Peak was nearly impossible, but perhaps he could use the spiritual field to his advantage now.

Lin Xiao was well aware that Elder Leng's most prized possessions were the herbs in his spiritual field. The fact that he entrusted Qingqing with its care was a clear sign of his high regard for her.

"You owe your current status to me, and just as easily, I can take it all away."

Lin Xiao had long noticed a book in his inventory.

It wasn't a cultivation method and had nothing to do with his training.

Tucked away in a neglected corner of his inventory, it lacked any shine, yet it drew Lin Xiao in irresistibly.

The Hundred Poison Scripture!

He hadn't given it much thought when he first discovered it.

His whole life, he despised gardening! The sight of the spiritual field was enough to make him drowsy.

It was not only a sign of lacking ambition, but it was also his most loathed task, especially since Qin Hao enjoyed making him tend to the spiritual fields.

Now, however, the situation had changed. If he mastered this divine skill, he could silently ravage the herbal field.

Such actions required subtlety. Simply uprooting the medicinal herbs would be foolish and easily traceable back to him.

But if he could master the most complex poisons, no one would suspect a lowly underling like him. In the end, Qingqing would be the one to suffer, not Lin Xiao, the ever-obedient lackey.

"One hundred merit points..."

Lin Xiao let out a sigh.

Whether it was the Hundred Poison Scripture or any other standard cultivation method, the starting price was one hundred merit points.

And for the late Foundation Stage, it jumped to three hundred.

The cultivation method Lin Xiao truly coveted was the Green Hill Seven Swords.

This technique was the Green Hill Sect's most formidable, rumored to have been passed down from the sect's founder over 100,000 years ago. Despite its age, few had managed to master it.

In the sect's points pavilion, this method was a bargain, available for just one early Foundation Stage beast crystal. But without the ability to master it, it was as good as worthless, which is why so few opted to acquire it.

"The most powerful one could significantly boost my combat strength. If I managed to master all seven swords..."

Lin Xiao couldn't even allow himself to entertain the thought.

The Green Hill Sect had already lost four of the legendary Green Hill Seven Swords, leaving only three remaining.

If he could use one hundred merit points to acquire and master them all in one go, that would be nothing short of miraculous!

"Throughout the sect's hundred-thousand-year history, only a handful of people have mastered the Three Swords. Currently, it's rumored that only one person has achieved this feat and is considered unbeatable within the sect. That must be the Sect Master..."

Lin Xiao had no idea who this master of the Three Swords was. His own insignificance in the past meant that he had only caught a glimpse of the Sect Master once, thanks to Ye Chen's impressive show of strength. And as for Elder Leng, he had never met her; she was an enigma to him, seemingly beyond the concerns of the earthly realm.

"Two hundred merit points for the Hundred Poison Scripture and the Green Hill Seven Swords. If only I had known, I would have exchanged for the cultivation method first."

Lin Xiao shook his head in resignation.

He descended from Moon Worshipping Peak and made his way back to his old dwelling.

The place filled Lin Xiao with a sense of melancholy.

It was a dirty, foul-smelling woodshed, a clear sign that Qin Hao had indeed treated him no better than a dog.

"Hehe, feel free to look around. I promise to leave no stone unturned in telling you all about it. This is where Lin Xiao used to live."

"Hmm. Not bad. Maybe I'll consider taking you on as my henchman."

A ruckus erupted outside the door.

Following that, a young man stepped toward the woodshed, led by Lee Si.

"Lin Xiao?"

Lee Si was taken aback to see Lin Xiao. "Why aren't you at Moon Worshipping Peak? What brings you back here?"

"So, you're the Lin Xiao that Senior Sister Xu has her eye on?" The young man's brow furrowed slightly.

Lin Xiao recognized him.

His name was Murong Chong, the third most formidable disciple in the Outer Sect, with a cultivation level at the Qi Training Eighth Layer and no spiritual root. He was known to be even more audacious than Qin Hao.

"What brings you to my humble abode?" Lin Xiao inquired, his gaze steady and unafraid as he faced Murong Chong.

Murong Chong bristled with discontent. To think a mere lackey had the audacity to not even offer a salute upon seeing him—it was preposterous. He was a force to be reckoned with, far more powerful than Qin Hao, his former master!

"I rank third in the Outer Sect, and I'll go where I please," Murong Chong declared icily. "I've taken a liking to this place and intend to claim it. What can you possibly do about it?"

"Lin Xiao, this dump is filthy and reeks—it's hardly fit for habitation. Senior Brother Murong thought he'd take a look and have it rebuilt. Soon, he'll have his own people move in," Lee Si said with a smirk. "You've already been to Moon Worshipping Peak, so why not give up this place?"

"Get out now, and don't make me say it twice. Don't think you can run wild just because Senior Sister Xu has your back. There's nothing I despise more than a man who lives off a woman's favor!"

Murong Chong rebuked sharply, "Let's get one thing straight—you were a lackey before, and you still are, only now you're groveling at Senior Sister Xu's feet. I have no interest in discussing the woodshed with you."

"I've got a much better place in mind. Interested?" Lin Xiao quirked an eyebrow.

Murong Chong was pleased with Lin Xiao's response. "I appreciate your cooperation. So, where is this place? I might just take it off your hands."

Lin Xiao gestured towards Moon Worshipping Peak.

"You're not playing me, are you?" Murong Chong fumed. Everyone knew that Moon Worshipping Peak was off-limits to the likes of them.

If Elder Leng were to lose her temper, she could freeze everything for miles!

"What's there to fear with me guiding you? Senior Sister Xu has been granted special permission by Elder Leng to bring followers to Moon Worshipping Peak."

Lin Xiao tempted, "Don't you want to be favored by Senior Sister Xu?"

At that, Murong Chong's interest was piqued, and he addressed Lin Xiao more cordially, "Brother Lin, are you suggesting you could introduce me to Senior Sister Xu?"

"It's within the realm of possibility," Lin Xiao confirmed with a nod.

"Excellent. I'm in. But can I truly gain Senior Sister's favor?" Murong Chong pondered. His years in the Outer Sect hadn't been easy; after all, he was only third in rank, with two others standing firmly above him.

Hsu Qingqing stands apart from the rest. With her water spiritual root now revealed, her future is set to skyrocket, propelling her straight into the core of it all.

Imagine the possibilities if I could forge a connection with someone like her and have her support. I, Murong Chong, would practically own the Outer Sect.

"Lin Xiao, we're like brothers, right? How about putting in a good word for me too?" Lee Si asked, his voice tinged with excitement.

"Ridiculous! Out of my sight!"

Boom!

With a single palm strike, Murong Chong sent Lee Si reeling. "What a sycophant! Without Qin Hao, you're nothing. I'm still on the fence about whether to even take you in, and here you are, calling Lin Xiao 'brother' as if you're equals."

He then turned to Lin Xiao with a smile. "Brother Lin, I'd be forever in your debt if you could speak favorably of me to Sister Xu."

"No problem, but you know I'm someone who values past friendships." Lin Xiao lifted Lee Si to his feet. "Lee Si, we're brothers after all. Don't think I'd ever leave you hanging. Let's head up the mountain together."

"Thank you, Brother Xiao... I mean, Brother Xiao, I owe you a lifetime of gratitude. You truly are the best person I've ever known." Lee Si bowed deeply, his eyes brimming with appreciation.

Murong Chong's laughter grew even louder at the sight.

Lin Xiao was the epitome of kindness, a man whose word was as good as gold.

Jackpot!

He was on the verge of connecting with Hsu Qingqing, and with that, his status would soar.

Murong Chong even fantasized about his triumphant return one day, standing tall as the second-in-command of the Outer Sect.

Stealthily, Lin Xiao led them up the mountain, stopping before his own spirit field.

Under the blazing sun, they wiped sweat from their brows.

"Brother Xiao, we've seen your house—it's truly impressive. But what's the deal with this spirit field?" Lee Si inquired with genuine curiosity.

"This is Sister Xu's spirit field. She's entrusted me to manage it. It's overrun with weeds that need clearing. If I do a good job, Sister Xu has promised a generous reward," Lin Xiao explained with a smile.

"That's a breeze for us. We've both slogged through spirit field work before. This task is child's play for the likes of us." Lee Si rolled up his sleeves, ready to tackle the weeds.

Murong Chong shot him a chilling glare, sending him stumbling backward in fear.

"Brother Lin, I appreciate it," Murong Chong said, turning to Lin Xiao with a look of gratitude. "You've brought me here because you want me to weed the field, hoping I'll earn a reward from Elder Sister Hsu, correct?"

Lin Xiao gave a nod of confirmation, while Lee Si grew restless—he too was eager to weed.

"No need for thanks. I'm aware your skills are still developing. Once I make my mark, you'll be well taken care of," Murong Chong promised, dashing toward the spirit field.

"Brother Xiao, I want to..." Lee Si bit down hard on his lip.

"Just go for it," Lin Xiao encouraged with a grin.

"Got it, thanks to you, Brother Xiao. I'm off to weed. Even if it means getting thrashed by Elder Brother Murong, I won't back down. This is my shot at recognition. Once Elder Sister Hsu takes notice, you and I will be back in action together."

With that, Lee Si bolted for the spirit field.

But upon arrival, both he and Murong Chong were taken aback.

The crops in the spirit field were unlike anything they had ever encountered—almost unrecognizable.

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