At the Mercy of Another's Moods

"Mm, no need for formalities!"

Elder Ji strode into the hall and casually raised a hand. A vast surge of Law Power poured out, lifting everyone present to their feet.

Suppressing their shock, everyone stood respectfully, none daring to sit.

Old Man Luo's face was especially grim, and cold sweat poured down his brow.

There was no telling how much Elder Ji had heard of the Xiong woman's wild accusations.

If he truly misunderstood, these old bones of his might be left here today!

Elder Ji walked past the crowd, swept his fur robe aside, and sat down squarely in the seat of honor. His gaze passed over the many expressions below, and he smiled.

"I seem to have heard someone say that one of you only made it here thanks to the favor of some Senior Brother Cai..."

"Is that true?"

Though his voice was light with amusement, the words made everyone's hearts tremble and their Law Power stagnate. They could not muster the slightest thought of defying him!

They wished they could hold nothing back and tell him everything!

"Elder!"

Old Man Luo stepped forward and spoke in a trembling voice.

"That is utter nonsense. I carefully selected Junior Brother Li Ye as the most outstanding among the many disciples who accepted planting assignments..."

"He had the greatest harvest of spirit rice from his spirit fields this time. Why would he need anyone else to grant him additional favors?"

Growing somewhat agitated, he turned and pointed at Xiong Yinxiu.

"What happened just now was all this woman slandering him without a shred of evidence. Please see the truth, Elder!"

With that, Old Man Luo bowed deeply.

Elder Ji raised a brow as he listened. He glanced at the composed Li Ye below before looking at Xiong Yinxiu.

"Do you have anything to say in response to what Martial Nephew Luo has said?"

The woman's face was deathly pale.

"I... your disciple misunderstood for a moment and spoke without thinking. Please be magnanimous, Elder..."

After recalling certain things about Li Ye, the three of them had silently arrived at various guesses.

But no matter what, those were only guesses. They truly had no evidence.

Let alone that her words had pointed directly at the elder himself.

It was only because of her fiery temper and her inability to hold her tongue that she had shouted those accusations.

But who could have known that Elder Ji would happen to hear them?

Amid her regret, the woman could not help secretly resenting Li Ye.

If it weren't for you...

"Then you have nothing to say!"

Elder Ji shook his head, his gaze blazing as it swept over everyone.

"I had hoped to find a disciple with good skills to tend my spirit fields, but I never imagined that, rather than wait to compare your abilities, you would make baseless accusations as soon as you met, all for the pleasure of wagging your tongues..."

"You have disappointed me greatly!"

He spoke calmly, with little emotion, yet everyone present felt as though they had plunged into an ice cave.

Great! I'm afraid we'll all be sent back now!

Li Ye felt helpless, and anger rose within him.

If that stupid woman hadn't run her mouth, how would things have come to this?!

After looking forward to this for so long, was it really going to end in a farce like this?

He shot Xiong Yinxiu a cold glance and resolved to repay her for this.

Yao and Gu, the other two, also looked at her with hostility.

Even the deacon who had recommended her wore an ugly expression, looking ready to kill.

After all, after today's commotion, even if the elder did not blame him, he could forget about having any further dealings with the elder!

This woman caused all of it!

"But you... Li Ye!"

Just as everyone was waiting to hear what would become of them, Elder Ji suddenly changed the subject and pointed at Li Ye.

"Though I never heard of Cai Shiwei asking anyone to speak to me on your behalf, I did hear about you from Old Man Wang before this!"

Li Ye looked up in surprise. Everyone else glanced at him, their expressions a mixture of astonishment and disgust.

So you didn't use Cai Shiwei's connections, kid.

But you got another elder to speak on your behalf instead, didn't you?!

What difference does that make?

Wouldn't you still be the one benefiting?!

"You took the initiative to share your insights into your craft, helping a group of spirit farmer disciples reap a bountiful harvest. They were even willing to give you some of their newly harvested spirit rice in thanks for teaching them..."

Elder Ji wore a playful smile.

"That old fellow was quite inclined to recommend you to me, but I couldn't be bothered to owe them a favor, so I turned him down..."

"I never expected you to appear before me anyway!"

How the hell does that work too?!

Yao, Gu, and Xiong's eyes nearly popped out of their heads as they listened.

Sharing his skills, receiving spirit rice in thanks, an elder's recommendation...

Could this kid have planned it all out long ago?

Such deep scheming was truly terrifying!

"Your disciple merely did a few insignificant things. It is truly an honor for your disciple that such a coincidence occurred!" Li Ye replied tactfully.

Old Man Luo looked at Li Ye, barely able to contain his surprise.

As the person who had told Li Ye about the matter himself, he did not believe it was all a coincidence.

After he had mentioned it, this young man had probably gone back and begun laying his plans!

To go to such lengths to secure this opportunity... even if Li Ye's aptitude was poor, Old Man Luo no longer dared look down on him in the slightest!

He felt all the more fortunate that he had taken the initiative to befriend him.

Hmph! Look at the clay chickens and pottery dogs you lot picked. You dare compete with me?!

Once Junior Brother Li has made something of himself, none of you will be fit to stand beside me!

The three deacon disciples who had accompanied the others felt both angry and envious at the look Old Man Luo cast them.

If the occasion had been right, they would definitely have gone over...

To ask Old Man Luo just how he had befriended someone like Li Ye!

"Enough!"

"Since I decided not to do Old Man Wang a favor, I won't choose someone outright."

Elder Ji waved a hand. "Finding another group would be troublesome too, so I'll give you one more chance..."

In an instant, all four spirit farmer disciples present, Li Ye included, looked delighted.

The other three especially had thought Elder Ji would simply give the job to Li Ye, but to their surprise, they still had a chance!

For a moment, as Yao and Gu looked at Li Ye, they could not help showing a little more friendliness alongside their schadenfreude.

After the initial delight passed and Li Ye thought it over, he could not help cursing the elder inwardly for making things complicated, but he also breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

With his current skill in tending Spirit Plants, he could even make an attempt with second-tier spirit medicines. As long as he still had a chance, what harm was there in competing with them?

But the Qi Refining disciples were entirely at the mercy of a Foundation Establishment elder's moods...

This experience added fuel to the fire of his longing for higher cultivation once more!

Elder Ji paid them no mind and continued in a deep voice.

"The main crops in my spirit fields are two kinds of Spirit Plants: Blazing Sun Flowers and Blood Li Rice. The former is a second-tier spirit medicine, and the latter is also among the finest of the first tier..."

"I will personally tend the Blazing Sun Flowers. The disciple will only need to assist me, but even so, I cannot let someone with poor skills ruin my precious spirit medicine."

"Write down how to tend both Spirit Plants and bring your answers to me. If any of you know nothing about them, there is naturally no need for you to remain here!"

As he spoke, the boy attendant beside him took out Jade Slips and handed them to Li Ye and the other three.

"Thank you."

Li Ye thanked him and thought for a moment before pressing the Jade Slip to his forehead and carefully recording what he knew.

In just a few breaths, the four of them handed in their Jade Slips almost simultaneously.

They looked at one another, but not one of them appeared anxious.

That was especially true when they saw how calm Li Ye looked.

Xiong Yinxiu's expression was sour. Although she had begun to think things over, she still forced herself to remain confident.

Seeing this, Yao and Gu could not help secretly regretting their earlier judgment.

From what Elder Ji had just said, it was clear that this young man's skill with Spirit Plants was considerable. Yet they had made an unfounded judgment and nearly destroyed their fortuitous opportunity.

Now it was thanks to him that things had taken another turn, giving them a chance to compete.

Had they known, why would they have provoked him and made an enemy for no reason?

Gossip and rumors can kill!

For this opportunity, Li Ye was willing to forgo benefits and plan calmly for so long...

With such temperament and cunning, and no lack of a fierce willingness to kill, how could they, who spent all day working in the spirit fields, possibly compare to him?!

No matter what happens next, we must make a point of befriending Li Ye...

Lest he come to resent us and bring trouble down on our heads!

The novel starts receiving recommendations next week. I hope my esteemed readers will keep following it so it doesn't die after the first round. Thank you!