Hidden Class?

After turning a corner.

He saw seven or eight people cursing furiously at a stone house. Some even hurled dead branches and broken stones at the windows, making loud clattering sounds.

Zhu Yu: "?"

If he had not seen wrong, the stone house these people were cursing and pelting with rocks seemed to be Xiang Sui's residence.

"What did Senior Brother Xiang do to provoke so many people..."

Just as he was puzzled, one of them, holding a club, cursed as he headed toward Xiang Sui's stone house. The others also seemed eager to make a move.

Zhu Yu frowned and immediately shouted, "Stop!"

Though he did not know why Xiang Sui had offended so many people, he could not let anything happen to him. Besides, they were only a few people who had yet to reach Qi Refining. There was nothing to fear!

At the sound.

Everyone turned to look. The burly man holding a wooden stick was startled for a moment, then turned around and cursed, "Well, well, this filthy thing actually has friends. Rotten fish and stinking shrimp really do flock together."

As he spoke, he walked toward Zhu Yu, his posture seeming to say that this savage beating would land on Zhu Yu instead!

"Senior Brother Niu, well done! Beat him up!"

"With those tiny arms and legs of his, Senior Brother Niu, hold back a little! Be careful not to beat him to death..."

"..."

Seeing that a fight was about to break out, the crowd watched the excitement without fearing it would grow too big. Not only did they not try to stop it, they kept fanning the flames.

The man surnamed Niu had only intended to put on a show. After all, everyone knew that Xiang Sui might be filthy, but he came from a lineage of Foundation Establishment Pill refiners. They, from humble households, could not afford to provoke him.

But the words had pushed things this far. If he did not fight...

Not fighting was fine too.

Once he drew near, the man surnamed Niu instantly sensed an aura belonging to the Qi Refining Realm. Without even leaving behind a harsh word, he turned and left.

Early Qi Refining was naturally nothing in his eyes, but he had yet to reach Qi Refining himself. He certainly could not win in a fight. He probably would not die either, but taking a savage beating just to save face was truly not worth it!

"I'll spare him for now. Once I reach Qi Refining, I'll find a chance to deal with him!"

Thinking that his Divine Sea needed only several dozen more Soul Particles to break through three hundred, the man surnamed Niu felt certain he would later vent this anger. He returned with his head held high and entered his own stone house.

Seeing this, the others glanced Zhu Yu over before turning and leaving.

No one was a fool. The usually hot-tempered man surnamed Niu had suddenly tucked his tail between his legs. This youth was surely not someone to provoke. With a little thought, they knew he was most likely a Qi Refining Realm cultivator.

They did not want to take a beating for nothing either...

The group had gathered quickly and dispersed just as quickly.

Zhu Yu could not help but pause in surprise. He shook his head with a laugh and had no intention of chasing after them. Xiang Sui had said earlier that the street where he lived was filled with disciples from the Spirit Ruins. If he could avoid provoking them, he should.

He was not afraid, but it would still be troublesome.

Withdrawing his gaze, Zhu Yu headed toward Xiang Sui's stone house. Halfway there, a sharp stench of urine suddenly reached his nose. He immediately realized it came from Xiang Sui's stone house.

As if thinking of something, his eyelids twitched.

"Meditation Fluid? Senior Brother Xiang is truly diligent..."

Without hesitation, he turned and left.

Only then did he understand why those people had been so furious that they wanted to hit someone. If it were him, he would be the same. What decent person would want to live beside a toilet? Were they not afraid of being steeped in that stench?

Not long after he left.

The door slowly opened. Xiang Sui, looking weak and pale, supported himself against the doorframe as he shuffled out. He glanced at the messy little courtyard, swept his gaze over the surrounding stone houses, and snorted disdainfully.

"A bunch of ignorant fools... Once I charge straight into Late Qi Refining, I'll blind your dog eyes!"

"Soon. Just a few more days..."

A flush of excitement appeared on Xiang Sui's face. He licked his dry lips and walked tremblingly toward the well nearby.

Breaking through was one thing, but the house still needed cleaning.

Otherwise, even he could not live with that smell...

Elsewhere.

After leaving Xiang Sui's residence, Zhu Yu made another trip to Liang Kuan's residence. Seeing no one inside, he thought for a moment, borrowed brush and ink from next door, left a message, and departed without lingering.

After leaving the new disciples' area.

He stopped to look into the distance for a few breaths, then returned to the Underworld Grounds with Little Black.

As he passed through the Starry Corridor, he checked the water vat's location. Seeing that the dead grass and scattered leaves attached to it showed no signs of having been disturbed, he finally relaxed.

After walking only a little farther.

Zhu Yu saw a figure in white standing ahead with his hands behind his back. His footsteps paused, then he stepped forward to greet him.

"Zhu Yu greets Senior Brother Mu."

That was right. This person was Mu Ruo, the one who had given him the Mark.

"Do you know what opportunity you missed?"

Mu Ruo had his back to him, his head slightly raised as his indifferent voice drifted over.

Still putting on airs...

Zhu Yu sighed inwardly and asked in confusion, "An opportunity? Senior Brother Mu, you mean..."

"A heaven-sent opportunity!"

Mu Ruo suddenly turned around. His faintly silver pupils stared at Zhu Yu for several breaths before he slowly said, "Do you know where I recommended you to go?"

Without waiting for Zhu Yu to ask, he continued on his own.

"The Sutra Lecture Hall!"

"Enter the Sutra Lecture Hall and become a lecturer, and you will have the hope of entering the second level. Once you enter the second level, the doors of the Dharma Repository will open for you!"

After a pause, Mu Ruo said blandly, "Now do you know what opportunity you missed?"

Seeing the shock on Zhu Yu's face, he was not surprised in the least. The Sutra Lecture Hall was a place countless new disciples yearned for. Add to that the mysterious Dharma Repository—who would not be tempted?

Zhu Yu truly was shocked. He had known it: there absolutely had to be more within the Sect than the five great spiritual lands recorded in the jade slip.

Just as he had thought.

The Sutra Lecture Hall—the Dharma Repository. Were they not spiritual lands?

"Good, good, good. So there are hidden classes too..."

Zhu Yu gritted his teeth. It was only a spiritual land, so why hide it away so secretively? When he recalled Steward Heng's use of the word "recommendation," he understood somewhat.

These special spiritual lands had been prepared for certain special people...

"Seems there's no escaping this anywhere..."

Zhu Yu shook his head inwardly, cast aside his stray thoughts, and sighed. "What a pity. I have the fate but not the lot. Senior Brother Mu, could you still..."

"You may leave..."

Before he could finish, Mu Ruo waved a hand and cut him off, unwilling to pay any more attention to this crooked-grown piece of timber. He raised his head to look at the hazy starlight in the tree canopy, and his body turned inch by inch into radiance before vanishing.

"What spell was that..."

Shock filled Zhu Yu's eyes. He looked around, yet still could not sense the slightest trace of an aura. He did not dare remain any longer and hurried away.

When ten full moons appeared in the vault of the sky.

Zhu Yu finally entered the Underworld Grounds with Little Black. Traveling alone had taken nearly an entire day, making him even more eager to cultivate the Fierce Tiger Corpse Seed.

At the very least.

With a mount, he would not have to walk everywhere on his own legs in the future.

Turning onto the path back home, he had not walked far when he saw three to five people gathered around a vaguely familiar place in the distance.

"Hm? That Resentful Soul Pool water..."

The few people whispered among themselves, smiles on their faces as they occasionally looked toward the Resentful Soul Pool shrouded in black mist, as though waiting for something good to happen.

"What good could possibly happen?..."

Zhu Yu's gaze swept across their faces. Seeing nothing unusual with the Resentful Soul Pool, he considered it and slowly walked over.

"Zhu Yu greets you, senior brothers..."