Rewards

Liu Ruyan's resolute figure disappeared at the edge of his sight, but the chill lingering in the air refused to fade.

Zhou Xuan stood where he was, his face darkening.

"If you want to die, I won't stop you."

Those words echoed over and over in his mind.

"What does she mean? Is she planning to find someone to cripple me?"

Zhou Xuan's brows knitted into a deep furrow as several possibilities flashed through his mind.

In a place like the Chore Servant Courtyard, people died all the time. It was more commonplace than a dog dying.

As long as they covered their tracks, who would stand up for an insignificant chore servant?

A powerful sense of danger clamped around his heart.

He had to get stronger!

Right now!

Only by gaining enough strength to protect himself could he deal with whatever Liu Ruyan might do next.

"Brother Xuan!"

Just then, Zhou Ye's excited shout interrupted Zhou Xuan's thoughts.

With two heavy burlap sacks slung over his shoulders, he appeared in Zhou Xuan's sight like an inexhaustible old ox.

"Brother Xuan, I found another ten sacks of Poison Rice, but it looks like there's no more beyond that. I kept searching for ages..."

The gloom in Zhou Xuan's eyes receded at once, leaving behind the stillness of an ancient well.

He nodded at Zhou Ye without saying much, then silently took the two sacks and dragged them into his thatched hut.

Liu Ruyan's threat had instead become his most potent catalyst.

The fire in his heart hadn't been doused. The sudden sense of danger had compressed and tempered it, turning it into an even more fervent, resolute ambition and drive.

The time that followed fell into a monotonous yet hopeful cycle.

Zhou Ye went back and forth between the pit and the thatched hut again and again. The sweat on his body dried, then soaked him through again.

He looked as though he'd been dragged out of the water.

His steps grew heavier and heavier, and his breathing rasped like a broken bellows, yet a blazing fire burned in his eyes throughout.

He didn't know what Brother Xuan wanted the Poison Rice for, and he didn't want to know.

All he knew was that Brother Xuan had entrusted him with this task, and that it was a matter of the utmost importance to his future!

He had to finish it, no matter the cost!

When the last ray of dawn pierced the darkness, Zhou Ye finally completed his last trip, dragging along legs that felt ready to snap.

"Brother Xuan, I brought it all back!"

He braced himself against the doorframe, gasping for breath. His whole body was swaying, yet a smile that looked worse than crying spread across his face.

"Good."

Looking at him, Zhou Xuan nodded with satisfaction.

He stepped forward and patted Zhou Ye on the shoulder, sending a stream of pure energy into him. Zhou Ye's aching body recovered a little.

"Thanks for all your effort." Zhou Xuan's voice was calm, but to Zhou Ye, it sounded like heavenly music.

"It was nothing! It's only right that I do things for you, Brother Xuan!"

Zhou Ye straightened his back at once.

Zhou Xuan said nothing more. He turned and went inside, leaving a few sacks behind before locking his thoughts onto the rest.

"System, convert!"

[ Ding! A large quantity of convertible items detected. Conversion in progress... ]

The next moment, it was as if a storm of numbers had swept through Zhou Xuan's mind!

[ Metal Touch Value +0.2! ]

[ Metal Touch Value +0.3! ]

[ Metal Touch Value +0.25! ]

The number on the panel began to climb at an unprecedented, terrifying speed!

One hundred!

One thousand!

Five thousand!

Those rising digits were like the most beautiful melody.

Zhou Xuan watched as the mountain of Mutated Spirit Rice sank before his eyes, finally turning into a pile of white powder devoid of spiritual energy.

When the final system notification sounded, Zhou Xuan fixed his gaze on the number displayed on the panel.

[ Metal Touch Value: 9,888 points! ]

Nearly ten thousand points!

Even though Zhou Xuan had been prepared for it, the number still stunned him.

He'd struck it rich!

This fortune would let him do so many things!

He forced down the urge to immediately improve his Spirit Root.

No. The time wasn't right yet.

Improving his Spirit Root was certainly important, but it would take an even greater amount of Gold Touch Value, and it wouldn't solve his immediate problem.

With Liu Ruyan's threat looming over him, his top priority was to break through to the Qi Refining Realm as soon as possible and gain the power to truly protect himself!

He gathered his thoughts and looked at the few sacks of Mutated Spirit Rice still left in the hut.

Then he had a thought.

"System, use Enlightenment on the rice in this sack."

He took an inconspicuous little cloth bag from the side, untied one of the burlap sacks, scooped out about two pounds of rice, and put it in the bag.

A barely perceptible Metal light flashed across the cloth bag and vanished.

Zhou Xuan tied the bag shut and walked outside. He handed it to Zhou Ye, who was still gasping for breath by the door.

"Take this."

Zhou Ye froze for a moment, then accepted it instinctively. It felt a little heavy in his hand.

He looked at Zhou Xuan in confusion. "Brother Xuan, what's this?"

"For you."

Zhou Xuan's tone remained calm.

"You did a great job this time. This is the reward you deserve."

"How can I accept this? I..."

Zhou Ye hurriedly tried to refuse.

"Take it!"

Zhou Xuan's tone left no room for argument.

"I don't like repeating myself. Keep working hard for me from now on, and you'll have plenty of rewards."

Feeling the authority in Zhou Xuan's words, Zhou Ye didn't dare say anything more. He could only clutch the cloth bag tightly.

He curiously untied it and peered inside.

At the very first glance, his breath caught in his throat!

The rice inside was nothing like that Poison Rice, with its violent aura.

Instead, every grain was crystalline and translucent, like rice carved from white jade!

Each grain glowed with a gentle light, and a pure, mild spiritual energy washed over him.

Just one breath of it was enough to ease much of his exhaustion!

"Brother Xuan, this is..."

Zhou Ye's voice trembled. His eyes widened in utter disbelief.

He'd never eaten this stuff, but he'd heard the old-timers in the Chore Servant Courtyard talk about it countless times!

Spirit Rice!

This was undoubtedly genuine Spirit Rice, something only Inner Sect Disciples, or even personal disciples, were qualified to enjoy!

He'd only helped carry a few things, yet Brother Xuan had rewarded him with something this precious?

This little bag contained at least a pound or two. It was probably worth several Qi Gathering Pills!

Zhou Ye felt a rush of blood surge to his head. With a thud, he dropped to his knees, his forehead striking the ground hard.

"Brother Xuan, I can never repay this great kindness! From this day onward, my life belongs to you!"

"If you tell me to go east, I won't go west! If you tell me to kill someone, I won't even furrow my brow!"

His voice was choked with tears and fervor, filled with a determination to devote his entire being to Zhou Xuan!

After struggling for so many years in the living hell of the Miscellaneous Affairs Department, he had seen light for the first time!

And Zhou Xuan was the one who had given him that light!