Strange Fertilizer, Zhao Erhu's Humiliation

Shen Fan followed behind Old Man Duan as they crossed mountains and ridges with the others, heading for the Inner Sect.

The Heavenly Xuan Sect covered an immensely vast area. The back mountains, Inner Sect, Outer Sect, servant quarters—there were more than a dozen peaks in all.

With the trip there and back, they probably would not return until after dark.

"It's just fertilizer for farming. Why do we have to go to the Inner Sect to haul it?" Along the way, Shen Fan curiously muttered to Old Man Duan.

"Once every five years, never interrupted. I've gone three times already. I heard this fertilizer is accumulated from the spiritual conveniences produced by Inner Sect Disciples, and it greatly benefits the planting of spirit fields!" Old Man Duan explained.

"So we're going to scoop out their shit!" Shen Fan was instantly speechless.

But for the sake of five Contribution Points, he endured it.

Then he hummed a little tune under his breath. "Got up this morning to gather dung~!"

By noon, they finally reached the Inner Sect.

They did not pass through the Outer Sect, instead taking a detour through a mountain hollow.

Following the winding mountain path upward, they could glimpse no more than one ten-thousandth of the Inner Sect's grandeur.

All they saw were towering mountains standing before them, too lofty to climb.

From time to time, streaks of light swept through the clouds. Looking closely, they were proud Inner Sect Disciples standing atop flying magical artifacts.

They were like immortals, high above all else, leaving ants like Shen Fan with nothing but the option to look up.

Shen Fan had wanted to take in the Inner Sect's splendor and witness the bearing of its genius disciples.

Yet Zhao Erhu unexpectedly led them straight to the Inner Sect's back mountains.

The mountain hollow was piled high with foul, rotten fertilizer, mixed with soil into a clay-like substance.

What puzzled Shen Fan was that this filthy stuff was guarded by five or six Inner Sect Disciples dressed in blue robes.

At the sight of them, Zhao Erhu immediately broke into a smile and eagerly stepped forward.

"Senior Brothers, thank you for your hard work. I am Zhao Erhu, steward of the Spirit Field at Servant Peak!"

The blue-robed youth at the front said blandly, "Take half of this fertilizer away. The people from the Spirit Herb Department will come for the rest."

"Yes, yes, yes!!!"

Zhao Erhu nodded repeatedly and immediately had all the Miscellaneous Disciples get to work.

They had each brought two large wooden buckets with them.

Once the buckets were filled, they trudged down the mountain.

Going up a mountain was easy, but going down was hard. With two large wooden buckets in hand, everyone moved with extreme care, taking one solid step at a time as they slowly descended.

At that moment, Old Man Duan suddenly muttered in confusion, softly enough that only Shen Fan could hear, "What kind of fertilizer is this? Why does it smell of blood? There's also a heavy scent of medicinal herbs. That herbal scent covers the smell of blood, so others might not notice it, but I can!"

Shen Fan blurted out, "Could they have hemorrhoids? Did they shit blood?"

Old Man Duan: "..."

Old Man Duan's meaning was obvious.

He cultivated the Corpse Refining Art, so he was naturally extremely sensitive to such things.

Shen Fan slowed his pace and asked quietly, "Haven't you come here several times before? Is this year different from past years?"

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

Old Man Duan pondered briefly. "You know what I cultivate, so this year, my senses are exceptionally sharp!"

Shen Fan nodded, but he was still puzzled. "Did they really mix blood into it? This waste is used to grow spirit rice and spirit herbs. Could its miraculous effects come from the blood?"

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

Yet Old Man Duan shook his head with a grave expression. "I can smell it clearly. This blood is human blood!"

Shen Fan's eyes widened at once. Old Man Duan's certainty sent a chill straight through his heart!

"This blood... is human blood?"

How could that be possible?

The Heavenly Xuan Sect was a righteous immortal sect.

Within Eastern Flowing Cloud Continent's Great Li Kingdom, it stood alongside the Spirit Sword Sect, Icefire Sect, and Spring Farmer Valley as one of the four great immortal sects.

With such a dense smell of human blood, there must have been the blood of over a hundred people mixed inside!

"Shh!!"

Old Man Duan signaled Shen Fan not to speak. "Mind your words!"

They remained silent the entire way.

Yet the heavy, terrifying suspicion left Shen Fan unable to calm down for a long time.

After returning to the Spirit Field, Shen Fan joined everyone in piling the fertilizer together.

Bucket after bucket of blackish clay tinged with dark red was heaped up, and a rotten stench mixed with a pungent herbal odor rushed toward them.

Shen Fan heavily set his two buckets on the ground, then lifted one and poured it out.

After Shen Fan poured out the second bucket of waste he had brought back.

Within that dark-red clay.

A pale, square fingernail came into view.

"What is this?"

Shen Fan frowned and picked it up.

After wiping the dirt from it, Shen Fan's pupils abruptly contracted. He threw the thing in his hand away and instinctively staggered back two steps.

"What happened?"

Old Man Duan hurried over right behind him.

"A... a fingernail!"

With terror on his face, Shen Fan pointed at the fingernail that was about to be buried.

Old Man Duan looked closely, then gave a dark little laugh. "Heh! Just as expected! This Heavenly Xuan Sect must be hiding something filthy!"

After saying that, he immediately warned Shen Fan.

"Do not let this matter leak out, or it will bring you a fatal disaster. Understand?"

Shen Fan nodded again and again, unconsciously swallowing.

Afterward, everyone stood in the open area of the Spirit Field, waiting to receive their reward.

Five Contribution Points per person. Shen Fan watched Zhao Erhu approach with eager anticipation.

The fear from earlier had faded somewhat amid his excitement.

But when Zhao Erhu came before him, he wore a mocking smile and skipped right past him.

"What about mine?" Shen Fan frowned and asked.

"Are you one of my Spirit Field people?"

Zhao Erhu sneered. "Prove that you belong to my Spirit Field, and I'll give you Contribution Points!"

"You're playing me!"

Shen Fan flew into a rage and glared viciously at Zhao Erhu.

"I am playing you. So what?"

Zhao Erhu sneered and slapped him.

"If you don't like it, go file a complaint. Let's see how the enforcement disciples handle it!"

"You..."

Shen Fan clenched both fists, his body trembling slightly.

No matter what, he could not swallow this humiliation.

"What? Want to hit me?"

Zhao Erhu smugly patted his own cheek. "Come on! Hit me right here!"

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

Behind him, Old Man Duan tugged at Shen Fan's sleeve.

Shen Fan took a deep breath and swallowed his anger.

"You really can endure it! Truly worthy of being a green-shelled turtle!"

Zhao Erhu forcefully slapped Shen Fan across the face.

That humiliation made Shen Fan's face burn with pain!

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

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

Then he turned and left the Spirit Field.

Watching Shen Fan's desolate retreating figure, Old Man Duan looked at Zhao Erhu with an extra trace of killing intent in his eyes!