Miscellaneous Affairs Hall

Lin Ye returned to the small courtyard, No. 37 in District C.

He closed the door and began tallying his gains. "Twenty contribution points per plant, plus what I'd saved up before—that should be enough to exchange for a high-grade mortal-rank technique."

The following afternoon, he changed into his outer-sect uniform and headed to the Mission Hall.

"I'm turning in a mission." Lin Ye placed seven Purple Ginseng plants on the counter.

The deacon disciple glanced at him, looking surprised. "Purple Ginseng? Seven plants?"

"Just got lucky," Lin Ye replied calmly.

"You certainly did." The deacon disciple inspected them and nodded. "All in good condition. Twenty points each, so that's a hundred and forty points. Your identity token."

Lin Ye handed over his token.

His contribution points rose to six hundred and forty.

The Technique Hall.

"I'd like to exchange for this high-grade mortal-rank martial art, Flowing Cloud Steps."

"Flowing Cloud Steps? Are you sure?" The old man glanced at him. "It's a high-grade mortal-rank art, and very difficult to master. Most disciples at the seventh or eighth level of Body Tempering can't learn it."

"I'd like to give it a try."

"Very well. Six hundred contribution points." The old man deducted the points, then took a thin booklet from the shelf behind him. "Return it within a month. No copying."

Lin Ye took the booklet, carefully put it away, and left the Technique Hall.

He went straight to the cave, opened the booklet, and skimmed through it quickly.

Flowing Cloud Steps was a high-grade mortal-rank art. It stressed that "the body should be like drifting clouds, the steps as swift as a startled swan," and had three layers: the first, Moving Clouds; the second, Flowing Water; and the third, Flowing Cloud.

He focused his mind and used his deduction ability on Flowing Cloud Steps.

[Deducting Flowing Cloud Steps (high-grade mortal-rank) will consume 250 Martial Arts Points]

[Proceed with deduction?]

"Proceed."

A phantom appeared and began demonstrating Flowing Cloud Steps.

[Deduction complete]

[Flowing Cloud Steps (high-grade mortal-rank) has been optimized. Speed increased by fifty percent; evasion doubled.]

[Fourth layer, Shadowless, deduced. When used, the practitioner's movements become ghostlike and difficult to track, comparable to a low-grade spirit-rank movement art.]

Lin Ye opened his eyes, a hint of delight flashing through them.

"Let's give it a try."

He stood and began practicing according to the improved version of Flowing Cloud Steps.

Lin Ye finished his practice and sensed the changes in his movement technique.

His speed was now at least fifty percent greater than before, and his evasion had nearly doubled.

If he faced the Green-Scaled Python again, even if he couldn't beat it, he'd have a much better chance of escaping.

"Next, I'll focus on the Azure Origin Technique and try to break through to the True Qi Realm as soon as possible."

"But I'll still have to maintain the appearance of being at the sixth level of Body Tempering."

Once he had made his plans, Lin Ye left the cave and returned to his lodgings.

Over the next month, he kept to himself, almost never interacting with anyone.

By day, he "practiced" in his courtyard; at night, he trained in the cave.

His Azure Origin Technique steadily improved. He had reached the sixth layer, and his True Qi was growing purer by the day.

He also grew more proficient in Flowing Cloud Steps, and could now use the third layer, Flowing Cloud, with ease.

His cultivation quietly advanced to the seventh level of Body Tempering. Everything proceeded smoothly, just as planned.

Until one day, Deacon Li came looking for him.

"Lin Ye, open the door!" Deacon Li's voice came from outside the courtyard.

Lin Ye frowned, rose, and opened the door.

Deacon Li stood outside, expressionless, with two Law Enforcement Hall disciples behind him.

"Lin Ye, you're coming with me," Deacon Li said coldly.

"Deacon, what is this about?" Lin Ye's heart tightened.

"You'll find out when we get there." Deacon Li waved his hand. "Take him away!"

The two Law Enforcement Hall disciples stepped forward from either side and seized Lin Ye.

Lin Ye did not resist.

They took him to the Law Enforcement Hall.

A black-robed elder sat in the seat of honor. He was clearly a True Qi Realm expert.

Several people stood below him.

Zhou Ming, Chen Feng, and a few outer-sect disciples Lin Ye didn't recognize.

"Lin Ye, do you know what crime you've committed?" the black-robed elder asked, his voice icy.

"This disciple doesn't know. I ask the elder to enlighten me." Lin Ye bowed.

"One month ago, near the Green-Scaled Python's nest at the eastern cliff of the rear mountain, someone stole Purple Ginseng and disturbed the python, causing the deaths of three disciples." The black-robed elder stared at Lin Ye. "Someone reported that your movements were suspicious that night. Were you responsible?"

Lin Ye's heart tightened, but his expression remained unchanged. "Please investigate carefully, Elder. This disciple was in his room cultivating that night and never went out."

"Who can verify that?"

"No one."

"But my cultivation is low. I wouldn't dare provoke a Green-Scaled Python."

"Enough!" the black-robed elder interrupted. "I investigated the matter. Two people were near the cliff that night. One was you, and the other was Chen Feng.

"Chen Feng, where were you that night?"

Chen Feng stepped forward and replied calmly, "Elder, this disciple was hunting Shadow Wolves on the western side of the rear mountain that night. Their pelts can prove it."

The black-robed elder frowned.

Those two boys had alibis, but neither had a witness.

"Elder, this disciple has something to say," Zhou Ming suddenly spoke up.

"Speak."

"That night, I saw Lin Ye leave his room in the middle of the night, looking hurried," Zhou Ming said.

Lin Ye's gaze turned cold.

"Oh? At what time?" the black-robed elder asked.

"Around midnight," Zhou Ming replied.

"Senior Brother Zhou must have mistaken someone else for me," Lin Ye said calmly. "I stayed in my room all night and never went out."

"I saw you clearly!" Zhou Ming insisted.

"Enough." The black-robed elder waved his hand. "Though there's no conclusive evidence, you two are the prime suspects. Starting today, you'll both perform hard labor in the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall for three months, as a warning to others!"

The Miscellaneous Affairs Hall?

Lin Ye's heart sank.

The Miscellaneous Affairs Hall was the most grueling place in the outer sect. Those sent there were disciples who had broken the rules or lacked talent.

They had to do exhausting physical labor, and it would also delay their cultivation.

More importantly, once they were branded as laborers, they would lose face throughout the sect.

"This disciple accepts the punishment." Lin Ye made no argument.

"This disciple accepts the punishment," Chen Feng said as well.

"Take them away." The black-robed elder waved his hand.

Two Law Enforcement Hall disciples stepped forward and escorted Lin Ye and Chen Feng away.

As they left the Law Enforcement Hall, Lin Ye looked at Chen Feng.

Chen Feng looked back at him.

Their eyes met, and they both understood what the other meant.

They'd been set up.

Someone had reported them, and Zhou Ming had given false testimony.

The goal was to get them sent to the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall.

"Three months..." Lin Ye calculated silently.

Three months of hard labor would delay his cultivation, but it wasn't impossible to endure.

"Move!"

The Law Enforcement Hall disciples shoved them forward.

Lin Ye and Chen Feng were escorted to the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall.

Along the way, plenty of disciples pointed and whispered.

"Look, that's Lin Ye, one of the top hundred in the minor competition. Now he's a laborer."

"Serves him right. He must've done something wrong."

"What a pity. He had some talent..."

The whispers reached Lin Ye's ears, but his expression remained calm, as if he hadn't heard them.

Chen Feng simply closed his eyes and rested, not caring in the least.

Before long, they arrived at the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall.

It was a dilapidated courtyard, piled high with all sorts of things: firewood, ore, medicinal herbs, dirty clothes...

Dozens of disciples in gray laborer uniforms were hard at work.

"Head Li, we've brought you some new men!" one of the Law Enforcement Hall disciples called out.

A stocky, middle-aged man came out of the room. He looked Lin Ye and Chen Feng over, then sneered. "Well, if it isn't the genius who placed in the top hundred of the minor competition."

"Head Li, here are their punishment orders." The Law Enforcement Hall disciple handed him a sheet of paper.

Head Li took it, skimmed it, and grinned. "Three months of hard labor? Leave them to me. I'll make sure they're 'reformed' properly."

The Law Enforcement Hall disciples left.

Head Li walked up to Lin Ye and Chen Feng and patted Lin Ye's face. "Kid, in the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall, even if you're a dragon, you'd better coil up; even if you're a tiger, you'd better lie down. Got it?"

"Got it." Lin Ye lowered his head.

"Good." Head Li nodded with satisfaction and pointed at the heap of dirty clothes in the corner. "Wash all of these today."

Lin Ye looked at the pile. There had to be three or four hundred pieces.

One person couldn't finish them all, even if he washed until dark.

"What, got a problem?" Head Li glared.

"No." Lin Ye shook his head.

"And you?" Head Li looked at Chen Feng.

Chen Feng said nothing. He just walked over to another pile of firewood, picked up an axe, and began chopping.

"Hey, at least you know how to read the room." Head Li laughed. "Fine. You chop wood, and he washes clothes. If you haven't finished by nightfall, neither of you gets dinner!"

With that, he turned and went back inside.

Lin Ye walked over to the pile of dirty clothes, rolled up his sleeves, fetched water, and started washing.

As he worked, he considered his situation.

"If all I have to do is wash clothes and chop wood, it won't take up too much of my cultivation time."

The Miscellaneous Affairs Hall?

Besides, it was crowded and full of prying eyes, which actually made it a good place to stay hidden.

Lin Ye lowered his head and kept washing.

The setting sun stretched his shadow long across the ground.

In the distance, Zhao Liang watched the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall from a loft, a sneer on his face.

"Lin Ye, Chen Feng, thought you could go against me? This is what you get."

"Three months of hard labor will be enough to ruin your cultivation progress. Let's see how you'll compete with me now!"

He turned and left.

Meanwhile, in the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall, Lin Ye had already washed a third of the clothes.

He looked up at the sky, then at the clothes still left to wash, and calculated.

"At this pace, I can finish before dark."

A glint flashed in Lin Ye's eyes.

If he looked too capable, they'd assign him even more work.

He slowed down.

Night fell, and he still had thirty or forty pieces left to wash.

Head Li came out to inspect. When he saw how many were still left, his face darkened. "Useless! You can't even finish this little bit of work! No dinner for you tonight!"

"Yes." Lin Ye lowered his head.

Lin Ye gathered up the clothes he hadn't finished washing, went to a corner of the courtyard, and sat down.

Chen Feng had finished chopping wood as well. He sat down across from him.

Neither of them spoke. They simply sat in silence.

They waited until the other laborers had returned to their rooms to rest, leaving only the two of them in the courtyard.

"You did that on purpose," Chen Feng suddenly said.

Lin Ye smiled but didn't deny it.

"Clever," Chen Feng said. "Here, you can't let them see you're too capable."

"Same goes for you," Lin Ye said. "You controlled your chopping speed well."

They exchanged smiles.

"How do you plan to spend the next three months?" Chen Feng asked.

"Cultivate, work, and wait for an opportunity," Lin Ye replied.

Lin Ye gazed up at the night sky. "The Miscellaneous Affairs Hall is part of the sect, too."

Chen Feng gave him a long, searching look. "You're more patient than I expected."

"So are you," Lin Ye said.

"Let's get through these three months first." Lin Ye rose. "I'm going to cultivate."

"Mm."

Lin Ye went to a secluded corner of the courtyard, sat cross-legged, and began cultivating.

The spiritual energy in the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall was thin. After being refined, the Azure Origin Technique absorbed it very efficiently, so it wasn't much of a problem.

Not far away, Chen Feng slowly closed his eyes as well and entered a state of cultivation.