Enforcement Officer

Where Fang Qing lived, Fang Qing, Ye Fan, and Pang Bo were cultivating.

Fang Qing gave Ye Fan three bottles of Hundred Herb Liquid to aid his cultivation.

Under their watchful eyes, Ye Fan drank a bottle of Hundred Herb Liquid, then began circulating the Mysterious Methods from the Dao Scripture, hoping to activate his Bitter Sea.

Yet there was not the slightest change. His Bitter Sea remained utterly silent, impossible to open up or awaken even the tiniest region within, and no life essence flowed through it.

Ye Fan's expression remained calm. He glanced at Fang Qing, seemingly asking whether he could immediately take the next bottle of Hundred Herb Liquid.

Over the past few days, they had learned that many Lingxu Grotto-Heaven disciples could only take one bottle of Hundred Herb Liquid every three months. One reason was that its medicinal potency was too strong to be taken consecutively.

But Fang Qing nodded, signaling Ye Fan to continue.

So Ye Fan took another bottle of Hundred Herb Liquid.

Still, nothing changed.

He took a third bottle of Hundred Herb Liquid.

After consuming all three bottles, there was still no change in his Bitter Sea. However, he felt his strength increase again. The essence within his body was abundant, his blood and vitality vigorous, and his strength had risen considerably.

"Still no activation of your Bitter Sea?"

Pang Bo found it difficult to understand.

"No. I'll just cultivate slowly like this. Even if I can't cultivate the Bitter Sea for now or connect with the Wheel of Life, my strength is steadily growing. That can't be a bad thing."

Ye Fan spoke.

"At least you're making progress. Maybe taking a few more bottles of Hundred Herb Liquid will do the trick."

Fang Qing "comforted" Ye Fan. At least, Ye Fan truly took it as comforting.

"Thank you, Brother Fang. I'll work hard. I won't hold my brothers back."

Ye Fan added.

"Ye Zi's situation really is strange. Could this be the mystery of the Ancient Desolate Sacred Body? Still, I believe Ye Zi will definitely step onto the path of cultivation!"

Pang Bo nodded.

"Mm."

Even three bottles of Hundred Herb Liquid had failed to activate Ye Fan's Bitter Sea. Naturally, his cultivation routine that night changed. He practiced the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill alongside Pang Bo, while Fang Qing continued refining vast amounts of life vital qi, focusing entirely on devouring it.

A night passed.

When the next morning arrived, Ye Fan and Pang Bo left their residence and headed for Lingxu Cliff to cultivate.

They had now both thoroughly studied the Dao Scripture and embarked on their own paths of cultivation. Elder Wu Qingfeng no longer taught them separately, so if they wished to listen to Mysterious Methods, they had to go to Lingxu Cliff and attend lectures alongside the many other disciples.

"Brother Fang, are you going to Lingxu Cliff today?"

Before leaving, Pang Bo still asked.

"I probably won't be giving a lecture today, so there's no need for me to go to Lingxu Cliff. I'll go see the Sect Leader later."

Fang Qing replied.

"Well, that was a pointless question. I've been hit hard."

Pang Bo's body shook as he listened to Fang Qing's words, feeling that their positions within the sect were worlds apart.

They had to go listen to teachings with the other newcomers, while Fang Qing? If he went to Lingxu Cliff, he would be the lecturer. If he did not go, he was going to meet the Sect Leader.

The difference was simply far too great.

"We're off!"

Pang Bo and Ye Fan headed straight for Lingxu Cliff.

Fang Qing also took flight. He first met with Elder Lu Zhihua, then went with Elder Lu Zhihua to see the Sect Leader.

When Sect Leader Li saw Fang Qing arrive, a smile appeared on his face.

"Fang Qing, you've come. I imagine Junior Brother Zhihua has already told you some things about our Lingxu Grotto-Heaven."

Sect Leader Li had been smiling when he saw Fang Qing, but when he spoke of Lingxu Grotto-Heaven's current state, his smile vanished, replaced by a grave expression.

"The Lingxu Grotto-Heaven of today is indeed a mixed bag. The descendants of certain elders within the sect act with reckless audacity, bullying other disciples and depriving them even of the opportunity to cultivate properly. Although we have an Enforcement Team, when it comes time to truly enforce the rules, it is always constrained."

The Sect Leader spoke of the problems currently facing Lingxu Grotto-Heaven. "Now, you are an Immortal Seedling of our Lingxu Grotto-Heaven, and your Cultivation Level has reached the Life Spring Realm. Therefore, I appoint you as an Enforcement Officer of the Enforcement Team, with full responsibility for disciplinary matters involving the disciples of our Lingxu Grotto-Heaven."

As he spoke, a token flew from the Sect Leader and landed before Fang Qing.

It was an unusual token, with two large characters engraved upon it: Enforcement.

The two characters, Enforcement, were vigorous and powerful, bold and forceful. Simply looking at them gave one a sense of wielding great authority.

Of course, the enforcement authority of Lingxu Grotto-Heaven could only govern some of Lingxu Grotto-Heaven's disciples, so the power did not seem all that great. If one day he became an enforcement elder of some Holy Land, that would be true authority.

Then again, for Fang Qing at present, the position of Enforcement Officer in Lingxu Grotto-Heaven was already quite high. After all, those old classmates who had arrived with him were still minor disciples, and some had not even understood the Dao Scripture.

"Fang Qing, are you willing?"

The Sect Leader asked.

"This disciple is willing."

Fang Qing immediately replied without hesitation.

"Good! I hope that with your arrival, you can greatly change the habits of our Lingxu Grotto-Heaven and improve the atmosphere within it. Let those ahead lead those behind, rather than allowing the strong to prey upon the weak."

The Sect Leader nodded. Seeing Fang Qing truly accept the token, he was very satisfied.

"The Sect Leader is right. This disciple will remember it."

Fang Qing accepted the token and prepared to leave.

"Go. From now on, your authority will be considerable. I will fully support you. Of course, remember that everything must be done according to the laws of Lingxu Grotto-Heaven."

The Sect Leader added as he watched Fang Qing leave.

"Senior Brother Sect Leader, do you think Fang Qing can truly accomplish this?"

After Fang Qing departed, Lu Zhihua pondered aloud.

"I believe he can. An outsider will likely show no mercy when cleaning up the sect's internal conflicts. Unlike us, who have lived here for so long—whenever we do anything, someone always comes out to appeal to personal ties."

The Sect Leader's expression was distant. "Even the most rotten elders still have other elders tied to them by shared interests, and they are always talking about personal ties. But if this continues, the sect's atmosphere will fall into chaos."

"Then if Fang Qing does this, he will certainly be framed by other elders."

Elder Lu Zhihua was somewhat worried.

"It matters not. Fang Qing's talent means he is destined not to remain in our Lingxu Grotto-Heaven for long. He will surely leave someday. When the time comes, we will recommend him upward. I only hope that before he is recommended upward, he can ruthlessly purge the foul practices of our Lingxu Grotto-Heaven. That will be enough."

The Sect Leader gazed into the distance, as though he had already thought through the road ahead.

Elder Lu Zhihua praised, "The Sect Leader is wise!"