Righteous Martial Artists

Today was the day the Yang Estate's flowing banquet officially began.

People came and went, and the place buzzed with excitement.

Nearly every servant in the estate was worked off their feet.

After Zou Feng finished washing the ingredients, he had to immediately go outside to serve the dishes.

This gave him a rare chance to enter the inner courtyard.

The tables in the inner courtyard were for the local gentry and the martial instructors from Heartfelt Martial Hall.

Heartfelt Martial Hall was precisely the martial hall Yang Qianqian had joined.

The moment Zou Feng entered the courtyard, his heart began pounding uncontrollably, and he felt as though he were sitting on pins and needles.

That should not have been the case. After all, no one present would target a lowly servant delivering food.

Could it be that, as a righteous and renowned sect, Heartfelt Martial Hall cultivated techniques containing vast, righteous energy that clashed with his Five Poisons Evil Art?

After all, righteousness and evil could not stand beneath the same sky. At least on the surface, righteous martial artists could not tolerate evil cultivators.

It was only normal for some mysterious reaction of the mind to arise when they encountered one another.

Still, it was because his strength was lacking. If he had cultivated an aura of overwhelming evil, then those martial instructors would be the ones suffering "dominating pressure" right now.

With that thought, Zou Feng kept an even lower profile. He did not even raise his head, focusing solely on serving the dishes.

He was afraid those martial instructors might spot something amiss.

But he was overthinking it. In those martial instructors' eyes, a servant delivering dishes was little more than a tool that could move on its own.

Only two female martial instructors gave him an extra glance or two because his features were fine and clean, and he had a handsome face.

The result was that the senior brothers around them immediately began teasing them.

"Junior sisters, are you really that hungry...?"

"If you truly like him, just tell Qianqian and take him back to use!"

This was followed by a burst of laughter.

Uh, was I... being flirted with?

Sigh, being too handsome as a servant really was not necessarily a good thing!

Who knew? One day, his master might send him out to entertain guests...

Once Zou Feng finished serving the dishes, he hurried away.

Yet compared to the indignity of nearly being treated as merchandise, what angered Zou Feng more was that he actually... felt a little anticipation?!

After all, those two female martial instructors were rather attractive. Years of martial training had given them sturdy long legs that clearly packed plenty of kicking force...

A moment later, Zou Feng hurriedly flung those improper thoughts from his mind.

If he did not escape his lowly status, then even if he were sent away, it would only mean leaving the wolf's den and entering the tiger's lair.

As Zou Feng headed toward the next table with dishes, the inner hall's doors opened with a creak.

A young woman dressed in a gold-trimmed martial uniform strode out.

Zou Feng had seen her before. She was the family head's youngest daughter, Yang Qianqian.

With twin ponytails, almond-shaped eyes, and an oval face, her features were naturally harmonious. Yang Qianqian had always been famed throughout the county as a stunning beauty.

Now that she had entered the ranks of martial arts, her temperament further enhanced her beauty, and everyone present was immediately unable to look away.

The next moment, congratulations rang out without end.

Then Zou Feng suddenly noticed that Yang Yanpeng, the Third Young Master seated at a table in the corner, was looking at his younger sister with open resentment and undisguised jealousy in his eyes.

Zou Feng naturally knew something about Yang Yanpeng, the enemy who had ordered him beaten nearly to death.

This fellow had also practiced martial arts since childhood, but his talent was dreadful, and he was lazy and gluttonous besides. Thus, he had achieved nothing.

For him to enter the ranks of martial arts in this lifetime was most likely hopeless.

Seeing his younger sister basking in such glory, it was only natural for someone with Yang Yanpeng's temperament to be jealous.

Although Zou Feng had no desire for any further contact with Yang Yanpeng, he could not avoid serving dishes at his table.

When he drew close, Yang Yanpeng ignored him. Yet Zou Feng caught a faint, highly unusual fragrance coming from him.

He was certain he had never smelled such a scent before.

Yet for no reason at all, he found the fragrance strangely comforting.

He could not possibly hold any favorable feelings toward Yang Yanpeng, so could this scent be...

Zou Feng had vaguely formed a guess, though he could not yet be certain.

After swiftly setting down the dishes, he turned and left at a brisk pace.

Unexpectedly, after he had taken only three steps, Yang Yanpeng's sinister voice suddenly sounded behind him.

"You're in pretty good shape. You're already out of bed and working so soon?"

Tch, I still got noticed...

Zou Feng could only turn back helplessly, lower his head, and salute. "Thanks to Young Master's good fortune!"

Yang Yanpeng stared at Zou Feng and gave two cold laughs, then ignored him and continued drinking on his own.

Back in the kitchen, Zou Feng still felt his scalp tingling.

His guess was probably right nine times out of ten.

Yang Estate's Third Young Master, Yang Yanpeng, was secretly cultivating some kind of evil art, just like him.

No matter what evil art it was, it would come with enormous side effects.

Yang Yanpeng had recently grown increasingly irritable and prone to rage, while his character had become worse and worse. It was very likely the result of cultivating an evil art.

The fellow had clearly realized that entering the ranks of martial arts through normal means was hopeless for him, so he had placed his hopes on crooked paths.

And the reason Yang Yanpeng had not become the target for transferring the cultivation side effects might also be because of this.

That fellow was likely cultivating an evil art related to poison as well.

The weaker toxic side effects should have no effect on him, which was why he could not be selected.

Of course, this was still only Zou Feng's speculation. What exactly was happening would require further verification.

In any case, the situation was pressing. He had to cultivate the Five Poisons Palm to its next stage as soon as possible to gain a little more sense of security.

And if he wanted to intensify his cultivation, he would inevitably have to fleece Brother Li harder.

Fortunately, the estate would be holding flowing banquets over the next several days, and the feast tables would naturally include all manner of medicinal dishes.

At the moment, every kind of medicinal herb was piled high as mountains in the kitchen storeroom.

As Luo Yong's apprentice, Zou Feng could take priority in handling these medicinal herbs.

So, with great consideration, he picked out all the herbs that could be used to brew detoxifying medicinal soup and placed them in conspicuous spots.

Afterward, he would occasionally leave on the excuse of an urgent need to relieve himself, leaving Li Rui alone and creating perfect opportunities for him to shop for free.

Li Rui had originally been worrying about how to get more of the medicine Luo Yong had brought over yesterday.

Then this opportunity was delivered right to his lips, within reach of his hand.

Naturally, Li Rui did not stand on ceremony.

Of course, on an ordinary day, he would never dare be so brazen.

But because of the flowing banquet, there were simply too many medicinal herbs piled up. As long as they were not especially precious, no one would carefully count whether a few ounces were missing.

Seeing Li Rui take so happily, Zou Feng felt deeply gratified.

He had even been afraid Li Rui would be too timid to take the risk.

Mm, since Brother Li had taken so much, then when I cultivate tonight, I can crank the intensity all the way up without any scruples.

That night, in the pitch-black woodshed, Zou Feng continued diligently practicing the Five Poisons Palm.

Though Li Rui was the one swallowing the "bitterness," Zou Feng still had to go through the process of training.

And soaking both hands in "cold water" for half an hour while striking all sorts of poses was actually rather boring.

However, before he had finished cultivating this time, Zou Feng heard footsteps approaching from far outside the woodshed.

Before practicing martial arts, he would never have been able to hear sounds from such a distance.

But now, he could calmly put away the chamber pot containing venom, then quickly wash his hands.