I, Ma Liang, Will Give the Vice Sect Master an Enormous Surprise!

Elite disciple Chu Xinghe was wandering around the sect...

I thought it was ridiculous enough that those core disciples would call me Senior Brother Xinghe at the drop of a hat, but what's even more ridiculous is Ma Liang.

I've heard these past few days that Ma Liang has been wandering around the inner gate...

Um... Ma Liang, do you know you're an outer disciple?

You should stay in the outer gate and behave yourself, you know that?

But what the hell is the meaning of you wandering around the inner gate without warning?

What's even more absurd is that wherever Ma Liang went, even the core disciples had to respectfully bow and call him Senior Brother Ma Liang.

Ma Liang felt no remorse whatsoever. Whenever the core disciples bowed to him, Ma Liang would smile and nod as usual, and then shamelessly comment on their cultivation level and urge them to work harder.

You're just an outer disciple, how dare you come here to the inner sect and boss people around? How can you be so shameless?

Not only did the other palaces show no reaction to Ma Liang becoming an outer disciple, but even the Spirit Crane Palace did not.

As usual, Ma Liang grabbed Mu Bai and the others and scolded them, saying, "Mu Bai... how long have you been working on this automatic medicine-refining system? You haven't made any progress at all... your skills are just too terrible!"

The usually honest Mu Bai almost cried after being scolded by Ma Liang.

Then, as usual, Ma Liang strolled over to the alchemy room of the Spirit Crane Palace, grabbed a bunch of pills from the storeroom, and sauntered away while taking some.

The disciples guarding the pharmacy acted as if they hadn't seen anything the entire time.

Ma Liang, an outer disciple, came to our Spirit Crane Palace to get medicine... and you all just pretended not to see it? How can you face your sect?

Chu Xinghe severely criticized the core disciples guarding the alchemy room for this.

"Senior Brother Xinghe... Senior Brother Ma Liang has helped our Spirit Crane Palace quite a bit lately, so those few pills are nothing..."

"Yeah, yeah... Senior Brother Ma Liang is a really nice guy..."

"Nonsense! He's an outer disciple; it's against the rules for him to come here and take pills, you know that?"

Faced with Senior Brother Xinghe's criticism, the junior disciples all lowered their heads and remained silent. However, Senior Brother Xinghe seemed to have forgotten... that he was also an elite disciple. It wasn't proper for him to berate us core disciples so harshly at the slightest disagreement.

That day, Chu Xinghe had just finished breakfast when he saw Senior Brother Shen Chun suddenly appear out of nowhere.

"Junior Brother Xinghe, the Vice Sect Master has finished his seclusion and said he wants you to continue your studies at the Haotian Palace."

"Oh? Is that so? Is it appropriate for an elite disciple like me to go and learn?"

Shen Chun simply ignored Junior Brother Xinghe's shameless words...

Junior Brother Xinghe, do you know? Your shamelessness is strikingly similar to that of Ma Liang...

Elite disciple Chu Xinghe arrived at the Haotian Palace, but before he could even take out his Haotian Token, the senior brothers guarding Haotian Palace happily let him pass.

Upon arriving at the Vice Sect Master's courtyard, the Vice Sect Master appeared to be in an excellent mood.

Throughout the entire day of instruction, the Vice Sect Master wore a smile on his face. Chu Xinghe couldn't help but wonder if the Vice Sect Master had achieved a major breakthrough during his seclusion.

In the afternoon, after the formation instruction ended, Chu Xinghe stood up, bowed, and prepared to leave, but was stopped by Yan Shoujing.

"Xinghe, don't rush off, have a seat!"

"Yes..."

"You did well in the matter of the Great Moon Kingdom, and Ma Liang did nothing wrong either. However, although Ma Liang is only my nominal disciple and I have never taught him, I am still somewhat saddened that Ma Liang has been demoted to the outer sect."

"Vice Sect Master, please rest assured, Ma Liang is doing quite well in the outer sect... cough cough..."

Chu Xinghe didn't even want to talk about Ma Liang anymore; that guy hardly looked like someone who had been relegated to the outer sect.

"Then I'm relieved. Also, Xinghe, this item is called the Soul-Devouring Banner. I obtained it by chance. I think the aura on this Soul-Devouring Banner seems to match the Fengdu Grand Formation. Why don't you help me give it to Ma Liang?"

"The Soul-Devouring Banner?" Chu Xinghe looked bewildered as he received the Soul-Devouring Banner from the Vice Sect Master.

Yan Shoujing was secretly delighted as he looked at the bewildered Chu Xinghe. In fact, Yan Shoujing's original idea in handing over the Soul-Devouring Banner was to find an opportunity to let Chu Xinghe pick it up without anyone noticing.

However, this idea lasted only a second before Yan Shoujing rejected it.

Is Chu Xinghe even a normal person's brain?

Didn't we suffer a huge loss last time with the Spirit Explosion Ball blueprint?

If this were given to Chu Xinghe, who knows if he'd just hide it away?

Since he couldn't make multiple copies of the Soul-Devouring Banner like he could with blueprints, he realized that even though he had Chu Xinghe's help to give the Soul-Devouring Banner to Ma Liang, there was still a chance that he might expose himself.

But he never mentioned the effects of the Soul-Devouring Banner from beginning to end. Even if he eventually discovered a problem, that would be Ma Liang's fault, right...?

Seeing Chu Xinghe's blank expression as he said he would hand it over to Ma Liang, Yan Shoujing repeatedly reminded him with great concern, "Xinghe... remember to hand it over to Ma Liang quickly, don't forget... it's best to hand it over tonight."

Stepping out of the Haotian Palace, Chu Xinghe looked at the Soul-Devouring Banner with a helpless expression... Although he didn't know what this thing was, the Vice Sect Master was right; its aura was too similar. If this thing were given to Ma Liang, wouldn't Ma Liang's Fengdu Grand Formation take off on the spot?

But if I don't hand it over... I have no reason not to hand over something the vice sect leader gave me...

Left with no other choice, Chu Xinghe went to the outer sect to find Ma Liang, intending to hand over the Soul-Devouring Banner to Ma Liang.

However, after inquiring at the outer sect, an outer sect disciple informed them that Senior Brother Ma Liang was not in the outer sect, but rather in the inner sect.

Listen to this! You, Ma Liang, are just an outer disciple, what the hell are you doing, spending all your time in the inner sect?

Soon, Chu Xinghe finally found Ma Liang in the inner sect, but when he saw Ma Liang, Chu Xinghe smiled.

Because Ma Liang was currently surrounded by two people, and it looked like they were about to fight...

These two people were none other than Lu Chengqing, the Southern Branch of Vast Heaven Chamber of Commerce, and Sima Bian, the Northern Branch.

At this moment, Sima Bian and Lu Chengqing were on the verge of exchanging blows!

Upon seeing this scene, Chu Xinghe burst into tears instantly.

It's here... what I've wanted has finally arrived!

The rise of the Northern Branch can be attributed entirely to Ma Liang. His "Ten Thousand Ghosts Elixir" propelled the Northern Branch straight to the highest level!

Those sales figures are unbeatable.

The news that the Southern Branch would be rehearsing various fantasy blockbusters using Ma Liang's Ten Thousand Ghosts Grand Formation has already garnered a group of enthusiastic fans who have already paid their respects.

Lu Chengqing's Tribute Ranking is updated daily, and the competition among those who send respect is fierce.

But there's only one Ten Thousand Ghosts Grand Formation. If Ma Liang uses the Ten Thousand Ghosts Grand Formation refine medicine, then the formation can't function. And if it does function, how can he refine the medicine?

So all Chu Xinghe wanted to say in this round was, "How could I possibly lose?"

What? You're not telling me the Fengdu Grand Formation can create clones?

Ma Liang's Fengdu Grand Formation couldn't possibly be that outrageous!

"Senior Brother Xinghe!" Upon seeing Senior Brother Xinghe approaching from afar, Lu Chengqing and Sima Bian abandoned Ma Liang and swarmed around Chu Xinghe.

"Senior Brother Xinghe, you be the judge! The Ten Thousand Ghost Pill generates enormous profits for the sect every month, and now Lu Chengqing dares to cut off my supply of medicine! He's practically a traitor to the sect!"

"Sima Bian, stop spouting nonsense! Go look at my Tribute Ranking. If things get going, it'll be just as good as your medicine-selling business!"

"You said it yourself, what if... what if it doesn't work out? Wouldn't that delay the Northern Branch?"

Chu Xinghe was greatly impressed by Sima Bian's words... "Sima Bian, you're absolutely right. If this doesn't work out, the sect will suffer a huge loss..."

So Chu Xinghe spoke up, "Sima Bian is right. If we can't get it done, wouldn't that delay the Northern Branch?"

Sima Bian stood tall and proud. "Look, even Senior Brother Xinghe is on my side."

"So Lu Chengqing, you have to work hard, you can't fail... The Fengdu Grand Formation will be in your hands from now on. As for the pills... Sima Bian, the pill refining should be left to the professionals. I heard Mu Bai is working on some kind of automated pill refining project recently, you should talk to Mu Bai about it!"

Sima Bian was dumbfounded...

No... Senior Brother Xinghe, didn't you agree that if things didn't go smoothly, it would delay the Northern Branch?

Mu Bai and his group are very strong, but isn't automated alchemy a bit too far-fetched?

Sima Bian had gone there to inquire over the past few days, but Mu Bai's answer was that there was no progress. Although the various pills cultivated in their Muyue Kingdom were a chaotic mess, to say that automated pill refining was completely impossible...

Therefore, the Fengdu Grand Formation is truly the safest option...

But since Senior Brother Xinghe had spoken, Sima Bian had no choice but to accept and get up to take his leave to go to the Spirit Crane Palace.

After seeing Sima Bian off, Lu Chengqing's eyes were filled with tears. Senior Brother Xinghe valued our Southern Branch so much that he even temporarily cut off the Northern Branch's supply of pills to support us. This time, Lu Chengqing absolutely could not let Senior Brother Xinghe down.

After comforting Lu Chengqing, Chu Xinghe reluctantly took the Soul-Devouring Banner out of his Qiankun Ring.

"Senior Brother Xinghe, is this for me? The aura emanating from this thing seems to have a similar effect to the Fengdu Grand Formation! Ma Liang thanks Senior Brother Xinghe!"

Ma Liang was very excited. "See... I really am Senior Brother Xinghe's most trusted confidant. Senior Brother Xinghe always thinks of me first when he has something to do."

Before Ma Liang could say anything more, Chu Xinghe spoke up, "Ma Liang, this Soul-Devouring Banner isn't mine; it was given to you by the Vice Sect Master."

"Vice Sect Master?" Ma Liang was taken aback. Although he had once been the Vice Sect Master's nominal disciple, his relationship with the Vice Sect Master was merely nominal.

I never imagined that even the Vice Sect Master would remember me, Ma Liang...

As expected, I, Ma Liang, am blessed by Heaven. Not only Senior Brother Xinghe, but also so many others are watching over me, Ma Liang, in the unseen realm.

The deputy sect leader, is that right?

Please rest assured, Vice Sect Leader. I, Ma Liang, am a person who repays kindness. Since you have shown me such concern, I, Ma Liang, will definitely treat you the same way I treated Senior Brother Xinghe!

I, Ma Liang, will absolutely not let you down, Vice Sect Master!

Since you, Vice Sect Master, have given me this Soul-Devouring Banner today, I, Ma Liang, will surely give you an enormous surprise in return!

Chu Xinghe didn't know how Ma Liang would research the Soul-Devouring Banner, but based on Chu Xinghe's understanding of Ma Liang, he was sure that Ma Liang would come up with something unique.

With the Vice Sect Leader working so hard to help Ma Liang is sure to give him a huge surprise this time!