Taking Care of a Fellow Villager

Early in the morning, a Spirit Crane Palace disciple brought Chu Xinghe the robes reserved for core disciples.

The edges of the black robes were embroidered with gold thread, as if proclaiming a core disciple's status.

By the rules, the robes only had to be delivered within three days, but Junior Brother Xinghe's words the previous night had truly moved everyone.

So the senior brother responsible for core disciple robes had gone back and stayed up all night, rushing to finish Chu Xinghe's robes and deliver them first thing in the morning.

The robes he brought even had two extra taels of gold thread compared to an ordinary core disciple's robes, making them all the more exquisite.

Chu Xinghe put on the clothes that marked him as a core disciple, but there was little smile on his face.

This is hard... It was already so hard to lose my elite disciple status. Won't it be even harder to lose my core disciple status now?

The only thing that made Chu Xinghe happy was that the Misfortune Compass seemed to offer a greater reward for losing his core disciple status.

Previously, losing his elite disciple status would have rewarded him with peak Martial Ancestor cultivation, but now, losing his core disciple status would actually reward him with cultivation at the peak of the Fifth-Grade Martial Spirit realm, a whole realm higher!

Seen that way, perhaps it wasn't entirely unacceptable.

After washing up, Chu Xinghe ate breakfast with the senior brothers, then went over to the Medicine King Palace.

The fire last night had razed the entire Medicine King Palace to the ground. Apart from the Vermilion Bird Furnace, which still stood firmly in place, everything that could burn had been reduced to ashes.

Spirit Crane Palace disciples had already begun cleaning up the mess, preparing to rebuild the Medicine King Palace.

Chu Xinghe did feel a little guilty, so he joined the workers.

"Senior... Junior Brother Xinghe... I don't need any help here..."

"Junior Brother Xinghe, you were worn out all night. You should get some rest first."

Though they kept turning him down, Chu Xinghe still helped here and there, volunteering for the hardest and most exhausting jobs. The senior brothers were deeply moved once again.

Look... Other core disciples all act like pampered masters, but look at our Junior Brother Xinghe. He doesn't just talk; he puts his words into action!

They worked until noon, when the other senior brothers began to rest, but Chu Xinghe did not.

Today was the day the various palaces came to collect their allotted pills. Although the Medicine King Hall had burned down and many pills had gone up in flames, the Spirit Crane Palace's foundations were there for all to see. The supply to the various palaces would not be cut off because of this.

Chu Xinghe kept busy helping the disciple in charge of distributing the pills, leaving that disciple visibly moved as well.

Chu Xinghe was tired, but working like this was also a way to vent some of the guilt and resentment in his heart.

"Greetings, senior brothers. I'm Liu Bo from the outer sect, here to collect its allotted pills," said a fellow who looked like a Fathead Fish, his eyes lowered and manner obsequious.

There was no helping it. Outer sect disciples were like that.

The disciple in charge of distributing the pills casually took out the outer sect's allotment and handed it to this Fathead Fish, Liu Bo.

But Chu Xinghe remembered him. Wasn't this Fathead Fish the fellow who had beaten Chu Cheng savagely in the outer sect last time?

Thinking of Chu Cheng, Chu Xinghe spoke. "You're Liu Bo from the outer sect?"

"Yes, Senior Brother!"

"I'm Chu Xinghe."

"Huh? Greetings, Senior... Senior Brother Chu..." Liu Bo clearly knew who Chu Xinghe was.

"Hello. Chu Cheng and I come from the same village."

The moment Chu Xinghe said that, cold sweat poured down Liu Bo's face. He seemed to have beaten Chu Cheng last time because Chu Cheng had spread rumors about Chu Xinghe behind his back. He had even received pills as a reward for it.

Liu Bo couldn't understand what Chu Xinghe wanted with him today. Had he hit Chu Cheng too hard? Was Chu Xinghe going to stand up for Chu Cheng for the sake of their shared hometown?

"Liu Bo, Chu Cheng and I are from the same village, after all. What happened before is in the past, but I still hope you'll take good care of Chu Cheng in the outer sect. I can't forget our bond as fellow villagers. No matter what Chu Cheng has done, he'll always be from my village."

Both Liu Bo and the Spirit Crane Palace disciples nearby were stunned by Chu Xinghe's words.

Listen to that!

Now that's true magnanimity!

Everyone knew about how Chu Cheng had spread rumors about Chu Xinghe.

Some people in the outer sect had even guessed that Chu Xinghe was the one who had secretly ordered Chu Cheng's beating.

But after hearing Chu Xinghe's words, Liu Bo was truly impressed. There really were people in this world with such broad hearts! And someone had actually suspected a person like that of striking from the shadows? Was there any justice? Any law?

Chu Xinghe casually picked up a bottle of spirit pills from beside him and pressed it into Liu Bo's hands. "Junior Brother Liu Bo, please accept this small token from me. For my sake, please take good care of Chu Cheng in the outer sect."

"Ah..." Liu Bo stared at the pills in his hands, overwhelmed by the unexpected favor.

"All... all right..." Once Liu Bo was certain that Chu Xinghe absolutely did not mean the opposite, his expression turned solemn. "Rest assured, Senior Brother Chu. From today on, as long as I'm in the outer sect, no one will dare bully Chu Cheng!"

"With your word, I can rest easy." Chu Xinghe smiled gratefully.

Liu Bo bowed and prepared to leave, but just then Feng Fei came over from nearby. He had evidently seen everything that had just happened, and he was truly impressed by Chu Xinghe. When he had arranged for people to deal with Chu Cheng before, Chu Xinghe had stopped him, but he had thought Chu Xinghe was only putting on a show. Today's conversation with Liu Bo had made Feng Fei understand.

He had underestimated Junior Brother Xinghe. His junior brother truly had a broad heart! He was truly a man of loyalty!

"Junior Brother Xinghe, you can't do this." Feng Fei shook his head and sighed.

"Huh? Is it because of the pills? Don't worry, Senior Brother Feng. I'll replace them."

"Junior Brother Xinghe, I'm not talking about the pills. When has our Spirit Crane Palace ever been short of pills? I'm talking about what you just did. I know you're a good person, but Chu Cheng has a terrible character. He maliciously slandered you behind your back, so he deserved a little punishment. Yet now you're asking someone to look after him. From what I know of him, not only will he fail to appreciate your kindness, he'll become even worse."

Everyone around them nodded at Feng Fei's words, thinking to themselves that Junior Brother Xinghe was still too naive.

"Besides, whether it's the inner sect or the outer sect, the Vast Heaven Sect is a place where strength reigns supreme. If Chu Cheng is truly gifted, he can get back on his feet even after being cast into the outer sect. But if you ask Liu Bo to look after him like this, not only will he fail to remember your kindness, it won't do his cultivation any good either. Today, he was beaten because he wasn't strong enough, and you gave Liu Bo pills to look after him. But what if he gets beaten again tomorrow?"

Feng Fei shook his head as he spoke.

"I understand what you mean, Senior Brother Feng, but he's from my village, after all. This is the only thing I can do for him. If it really happens as you say, and someone beats him again, then perhaps all I can do is bring out more pills and ask that person not to beat him." Chu Xinghe's innocent expression made Feng Fei shake his head repeatedly.

In the end, however, Feng Fei said no more. After all, wasn't Junior Brother Xinghe's innocent nature exactly what everyone liked about him?

Feng Fei shook his head and left. Meanwhile, the Fathead Fish, who hadn't gone far, happened to overhear Chu Xinghe's conversation with Feng Fei. The first part nearly made him worry that the pills he had received would be taken back, but the latter part made his eyes light up.

The Fathead Fish didn't care in the least whether Chu Xinghe was naive. What he cared about was... if someone beat Chu Cheng again, would Chu Xinghe give them pills too?

Damn... there's a deal this good?

The Fathead Fish was so excited that the crotch of his pants grew a little damp, and his narrowed eyes gleamed brilliantly!

Pills! Here I come!

The Fathead Fish left the Spirit Crane Palace excitedly. What he didn't know was that Chu Xinghe was watching from afar, looking at the direction he had gone and the excitement on his face with a satisfied smile.

Chu Cheng, you little bastard!

You actually weren't beaten to death last time! But that's fine too. I'll keep you around and torment you slowly! I'm in a bad mood anyway, so I'll let the Fathead Fish teach you how to behave!

In the outer sect, Chu Cheng lay in bed, his whole body wrapped up like a mummy.

"My fate is mine, not heaven's!"

As the most talented youth in Kaoshan Village, Chu Cheng had not been brought down by one or two setbacks. He swore that when his opportunity came, he would take a three-foot sword in hand and claim that bastard Chu Xinghe's head!

No! And that Fathead Fish too!

Chu Xinghe must have sent that fellow. It had to be him!

He would chop off his head and make chopped-chili fish head out of it.

He would let him know that anyone who crossed Chu Cheng would pay a price he could not afford.

Just as Chu Cheng was imagining himself becoming a peak Martial Emperor and pointing his sword at the world, someone kicked his door open with a bang.

A Fathead Fish charged in from outside with a group of people.

"Oh dear... Don't do this... Senior Brother Chu Xinghe told me to take good care of his fellow villager. I have to stop you. You mustn't lay a hand on Chu Cheng... Oh dear... There are too many of you. I can't stop you..."

Terrible acting!

Utterly terrible!

Before Chu Cheng could open his mouth to offer an opinion on the Fathead Fish's acting, fists the size of sandpots were already in front of his face...

The dream of becoming a peak Martial Emperor was shattered by fists. The group beat Chu Cheng with all their might. Once again, no one knew exactly how long the beating lasted, but one thing was certain: Chu Cheng's plans to become a Martial Emperor and make his fate his own rather than heaven's would be delayed by at least another year.

That afternoon, Chu Xinghe continued helping everyone with the work at the Medicine King Palace. The Grand Elder came by with the other elders, and when they saw Chu Xinghe working alongside everyone else, the Grand Elder and the other elders all nodded.

"This child... has an excellent nature."

"Yes, Grand Elder. Xinghe is a sincere and honest child. Even now that he's become a core disciple, he doesn't have the slightest trace of arrogance. I heard from the disciples below that he still calls everyone senior brother, and only follows the sect rules when outsiders are present."

"What a good child. Either the Vermilion Bird Spirit Fire or the Medicine Saint Inheritance would be enough to make someone a favored child of heaven, yet this child takes no pride in either. Truly, heaven blesses the Vast Heaven Sect!"

The Grand Elder stroked what little remained of his burned beard and smiled knowingly.

Whether one pursued martial arts or alchemy, talent was certainly important, but character mattered even more. How many exceptionally gifted people in this world had turned on their masters and betrayed their forebears after mastering their arts?

But look at Chu Xinghe: humble toward his fellow disciples and respectful toward the elders of his sect. A child like him deserved the Vermilion Bird Spirit Fire and deserved the Medicine Saint Inheritance, yet even with all that, he had not forgotten his original heart.

The Grand Elder felt that bringing Chu Xinghe to the Spirit Crane Palace was the best decision he had ever made in his life.