Strange Fertilizer, Zhao Erhu's Insult

Shen Fan followed behind Old Man Duan, trekking with the others over the mountains towards the inner sect.

The Heavenly Xuan Sect occupied an extremely vast area, with the back mountain, inner sect, outer sect, and miscellaneous service area encompassing a dozen or so mountain peaks.

Traveling back and forth like this, they probably wouldn't arrive until dark.

"It's just fertilizer for planting, why do we have to go to the inner sect to carry it?" On the way, Shen Fan muttered curiously to Old Man Duan.

"It's been done every five years without interruption, and I've gone three times already. I heard that this fertilizer is made from the excrement accumulated by the inner sect disciples, and it's very beneficial for planting Spirit Fields!" Old Man Duan explained.

"So we're going to collect their dung!" Shen Fan was speechless.

But for the sake of the five contribution points, he endured it.

Then he hummed a little tune: "Get up early in the morning to pick up dung~!"

Around noon, they finally arrived at the inner sect.

They didn't pass through the outer sect, but rather took a detour through a mountain depression.

Winding up the mountain path, they could only glimpse a fraction of the inner sect's grandeur.

They only saw towering mountains standing before them, impossibly high.

Occasionally, streaks of light could be seen streaking through the clouds. Looking closely, they were proud inner sect disciples riding on flying magical instruments.

They were like immortals, high above, making ants like Shen Fan only able to look up in admiration.

Shen Fan wanted to see the inner sect's splendor and catch a glimpse of the inner sect's genius disciples.

But Zhao Erhu unexpectedly led them directly to the back mountain of the inner sect.

The mountain depression was filled with piles of rotten fertilizer, mixed with soil to form a clay-like substance.

What puzzled Shen Fan was that even this filthy stuff was guarded by five or six inner sect disciples wearing blue robes.

Seeing this, Zhao Erhu immediately put on a smiling face and walked up diligently.

"Greetings, senior brothers, I am Zhao Erhu, the steward of the Spirit Field Department of the Miscellaneous Service Peak!"

The blue-robed youth at the head said indifferently, "You take half of this fertilizer, and the rest will be taken by people from the Spirit Herb Department!"

"Yes, yes, yes!!!"

Zhao Erhu nodded repeatedly and immediately ordered all the miscellaneous service disciples to get to work.

Each of them had brought two large wooden buckets.

After filling them, they trudged down the mountain.

It was easy to go up the mountain but hard to go down, especially with two large buckets in hand. Everyone was careful, taking one step at a time as they slowly walked down the mountain.

At this moment, Old Man Duan suddenly muttered in a voice that only Shen Fan could hear, "What kind of fertilizer is this? Why does it have a bloody smell? And it's mixed with a strong medicinal herb smell. The medicinal herb smell covers up the bloody smell, so others might not be able to smell it, but I can!"

Shen Fan subconsciously said, "Do they have hemorrhoids? Are they bleeding?"

Old Man Duan: "..."

Old Man Duan's words were self-explanatory.

He had practiced the Corpse Refining Art, so he was naturally very sensitive to this kind of thing.

Shen Fan slowed down and asked in a low voice, "Haven't you been here several times? Is this year different from previous years?"

"The stuff is the same, but this year..."

Old Man Duan pondered slightly, "You know what I practice, so I'm extremely sensitive this year!"

Shen Fan nodded, but was also puzzled, "Did they really mix blood in it? This waste is used to grow spirit rice and spirit herbs. Is the reason it's so effective because of the blood?"

"Perhaps... it's the blood of demonic beasts mixed in!"

Old Man Duan shook his head with a solemn expression, "I can smell it clearly, this blood is human blood!"

Shen Fan's eyes widened instantly. Old Man Duan's certainty made Shen Fan feel a chill in his heart!

"This blood... is human blood?"

How was that possible?

The Heavenly Xuan Sect was a righteous immortal sect.

In this Eastern Flowing Cloud Continent, within the Great Li Kingdom, it was known as one of the four great immortal sects, along with the Spirit Sword Sect, the Icefire Sect, and the Spring Farmer Valley.

Such a strong human blood smell, wasn't there probably the blood of hundreds of people mixed in it!

"Shhh!!"

Old Man Duan signaled Shen Fan not to speak, "Be careful what you say!"

They continued in silence.

Only heavy, fearful speculation kept Shen Fan from calming down for a long time.

Back at the Spirit Field, Shen Fan followed everyone else in piling up the fertilizer.

Bucket after bucket of blackish, slightly dark red, viscous soil was piled together, emitting a foul, yet pungent medicinal odor that assaulted the senses.

Shen Fan heavily placed two buckets of fertilizer on the ground, then lifted a third to pour it out.

After Shen Fan emptied the second bucket of waste he had brought back, a pale, square fingernail caught his eye within the dark red clay.

"What's this?"

Shen Fan frowned and picked it up.

After wiping the dirt off, Shen Fan's pupils instantly contracted, and he threw the object in his hand away, instinctively taking two steps back.

"What's wrong?"

Old Man Duan followed closely behind.

"A... a fingernail!"

Shen Fan pointed with a terrified expression at the fingernail about to be buried.

Old Man Duan stared at it and let out a somewhat gloomy chuckle, "Heh! Sure enough! This Heavenly Xuan Sect, it's definitely not clean!"

After speaking, he immediately instructed Shen Fan.

"Don't leak this matter, or it will bring about a fatal disaster, understand?"

Shen Fan nodded repeatedly, unconsciously swallowing a mouthful of saliva.

Afterward, the group stood in the open space of the Spirit Field, waiting to receive their rewards.

Five contribution points per person. Shen Fan looked forward to Zhao Erhu, who was about to approach.

The fear from before had faded a bit due to excitement.

But when Zhao Erhu came in front of him, Zhao Erhu revealed a playful smile and skipped right over him.

"What about mine?" Shen Fan asked with a frown.

"Are you someone from my Spirit Field?"

Zhao Erhu sneered, "If you want to prove you're from my Spirit Field, then I'll give you contribution points!"

"You're messing with me!"

Shen Fan was furious, glaring fiercely at Zhao Erhu.

"What if I am messing with you?"

Zhao Erhu sneered, and as he spoke, he slapped Shen Fan.

"If you're not convinced, you can go complain, and see how the Enforcement Disciples will handle it!"

"You..."

Shen Fan clenched his fists, his body trembling slightly.

He couldn't swallow this anger no matter what.

"What? Want to hit me?"

Zhao Erhu proudly patted his cheek, "Come on! Hit me here!"

"As long as you dare to lay a hand on me, I'll immediately make you get out of the Heavenly Xuan Sect!"

Behind him, Old Man Duan tugged at the corner of Shen Fan's clothes.

Shen Fan took a deep breath and suppressed his anger.

"You can really endure it! You truly are a green-headed turtle!"

Zhao Erhu slapped Shen Fan's face forcefully.

This kind of humiliation made Shen Fan's face burn with pain!

"Kid, Senior Brother Qingshan came to the Spirit Field with your little girlfriend yesterday. He told me to make sure you get out of the Heavenly Xuan Sect. If you know what's good for you, leave quietly on your own. Otherwise, I'll mess with you every time I see you!"

Faced with Zhao Erhu's insults, Shen Fan silently lowered his head.

Then he turned and left the Spirit Field.

Old Man Duan looked at Shen Fan's lonely figure, and the look he gave Zhao Erhu carried a trace of murderous intent!