Rewards According to Merit

Strength could be faked. At Xiude Hall that day, when Tie Shan tested his skills, it could still be explained that Yang Yi had not used his full strength. But the three martial techniques could not be faked.

In just one month, he had brought all three martial techniques to the point where they could be used in battle to kill enemies. At the very least, he had reached minor accomplishment.

Especially since the three martial techniques Yang Yi cultivated were all exceptionally difficult to master.

"What a true genius!" Qiao Yaoyao praised, her heart brimming with delight. It felt as though the Qiao Household had stumbled upon a treasure.

Who could have imagined that the wild youth Qiao Third Young Master had met outside, who had come to Qiao Family Fort with nowhere else to turn, would turn the tide in this mission and perform so brilliantly?

Yang Yi slept until dawn broke faintly the next day before waking.

The exhaustion of the past several days had been swept away, leaving him refreshed and clear-headed.

He immediately practiced a set of the Body Tempering Technique to lift his spirits.

He had had no time to cultivate during the days spent on the mission outside, and it had practically suffocated him.

After breakfast, Qiao Yaoyao summoned him.

Yang Yi immediately hurried to Xiude Hall.

When they met again this time, Qiao Yaoyao was clearly much warmer than before, offering him many words of concern and consolation.

"In this mission, Attendant Yang turned the tide. Leading Attendants Qin Zhuang and the others, you killed six Lan Blood enemies, captured two alive, and slaughtered countless others. Your toil and merit are immense. Without Attendant Yang's leadership, Attendants Qin Zhuang and the others would likely have been wiped out to the last man. You prevented enormous losses for my Qiao Household; this is a great merit indeed. I have already ordered it recorded." If anything happened to the other Attendants, Qiao Yaoyao would feel heartache, but only because it weakened the Qiao Household's overall strength. If Lü E had died on this mission, though, she truly would have been devastated.

Yang Yi immediately perked up. "Miss, I wish to exchange this great merit for the qualification to cultivate in the Yin-Yang Pool."

Within the Qiao Household, great merit could be exchanged for a qualification to cultivate in the Yin-Yang Pool. This was Yang Yi's most urgent need at present.

After cultivating there last time, he had acquired a taste for the marrow and craved the Yin-Yang Pool ever since. He had not expected the opportunity to come so quickly.

For a moment, he felt that sacrificing several days of cultivation had been well worth it.

One trip into the Yin-Yang Pool was equivalent to a year of his bitter cultivation. What did a mere few days amount to?

"No problem." Qiao Yaoyao nodded. "I will have it recorded for you. But Attendant Yang, you also know that opportunities to cultivate in the Yin-Yang Pool have always been in short supply. I already moved you ahead in line last time. This time, I'm afraid you will have to wait a while."

"About how long?" Yang Yi asked.

"Within one month, I will arrange it for you."

"No problem." Yang Yi nodded. He could afford to wait a month. Naturally, from his own standpoint, the sooner the better. But every cultivation session required ten days, and who knew how many people were currently lined up at the Yin-Yang Pool waiting their turn? For Qiao Yaoyao to arrange for him to enter within a month clearly meant moving him ahead in line again.

There was no doubt this was because Yang Yi had performed well and earned even greater regard from Miss Qiao.

Besides recording his merit, the Qiao Household also awarded some supplies for this mission. After asking Yang Yi what he wanted, Qiao Yaoyao immediately allocated a batch of Myriad-Treasure Dew and ordered it sent to Bamboo Garden.

Yang Yi was no longer lacking in Myriad-Treasure Dew. Not only would he receive his Attendant stipend every month from now on, but he had also obtained quite a bit of silver from looting the enemies he killed this time. If he needed any, he could simply buy it at the Medicine Pavilion.

But considering that he would be cultivating in the Yin-Yang Pool later, and that Yang Yong needed it as well, it was naturally best to stockpile more.

Over the following days, Yang Yi kept a low profile, cultivating every day and doing nothing but cultivating.

Until three days later, Qin Siniang and the others came to visit together.

Besides Qin Siniang and Zhuang Laosan, Shen Qian had come as well, much to Yang Yi's surprise.

"You came to visit, so why did you bring gifts?" Yang Yi said, while giving Yang Ya, who stood nearby, a meaningful look.

The little girl immediately beamed as she accepted everyone's gifts.

The gifts were nothing else but Myriad-Treasure Dew. Each person had brought fifty bottles. This was the hard currency of social exchanges among Lan Blood.

After all, everyone needed it for cultivation. Even if they had too much, they could sell it outside, with no need to worry about finding buyers.

"Lü E couldn't come herself, so she asked me to bring one share for her," Qin Siniang said softly, leaning close to Yang Yi's ear.

Lü E was Qiao Yaoyao's personal guard. This time, she had been forced by circumstances to lead the team out on a mission, and ordinarily it was indeed inconvenient for her to get too close to outside Attendants like them.

Yang Yi understood at once. Only then did he realize why there was an extra share among the gifts.

He had someone prepare a table of food and wine, then entertained them in the courtyard.

They had come to thank Yang Yi.

Everyone had survived that night only because Yang Yi had charged into the enemy formation ahead of them. It was tantamount to a life-saving debt. They had all been treating their injuries over the past few days, and now that they had mostly recovered, they had come together.

"Brother Yang, you truly are peerlessly valiant! I, Zhuang Laosan, have never admired anyone in my life, but you are the first. From now on, if you have any orders, I, Old Zhuang, will never refuse!" Zhuang Laosan said with heartfelt sincerity.

Yang Yi waved a hand. "Brother Zhuang, you're too polite. We escaped danger that day because everyone worked together with one heart. It was not my merit alone."

That was the truth. In those circumstances, if Yang Yi had fought alone, he could not have achieved such great results. And charging into the enemy formation by himself was fraught with danger. Even if he could have escaped, he would likely have suffered some injuries.

"Brother, do you want a wife?" After three rounds of wine, Zhuang Laosan suddenly winked at Yang Yi.

"Zhuang Laosan, enough already. How could that chubby little girl of yours be worthy of Brother Yang?" Qin Siniang laughed as she scolded him.

Zhuang Laosan immediately shot her a sidelong glance. "What's wrong with being chubby? Has being chubby eaten your family's rice and flour? Being chubby means I've raised her well, and when she grows up, she'll be good at bearing children too!"

Qin Siniang tugged Yang Yi's arm. "Don't listen to his nonsense. That chubby little girl of his is only thirteen this year. She hasn't even grown into herself yet."

Zhuang Laosan said, "Brother is not that old either. He can wait two years."

Yang Yi thought this was truly a mess. Zhuang Laosan called him brother at every turn, yet wanted him as a son-in-law. These children of the martial world truly did not stand on ceremony.

Qin Siniang covered her mouth and giggled coquettishly. "I'm afraid Brother Yang might not fancy your chubby little girl!"

"If he doesn't fancy mine, could he possibly fancy you?" Zhuang Laosan slapped the table. "Don't think I didn't see it. On the way back, you were pressed against Brother Yang, like you wanted to knead your whole body into his arms!"

Qin Siniang blushed, but spat back, "So what? If Yang Yi is willing, this sister will wash herself clean and climb into his bed tonight."

As she spoke, her eyes shimmered as she looked toward Yang Yi.

Yang Yi could only cry that he could not take it.

Zhuang Laosan looked at her as if she were some monstrous marvel. "Are you even human? Brother Yang is only sixteen this year. Even if you're an old cow eating tender grass, you should wait another two years!"

"This old lady just likes them young!" Qin Siniang refused to give an inch.

"Enough joking around." With black lines running down his face, Yang Yi changed the subject and looked at Shen Qian. "How were Wang Han and his wife dealt with?"

If he let them continue arguing, who knew what nonsense they would come out with next?

Shen Qian had been sitting to one side watching the excitement, never quite able to join in. At those words, he perked up. "They took Bloodbane Pills. From now on, they will serve the Qiao Household."