Fang Qianyuan's goals were to avenge his parents and sisters, escape his humble lot in life, and see the wonders of the world. Naturally, he would not quibble over the empty distinction between major and minor merits.
But by now, he knew that a major merit could earn him a high-grade spirit creature, and that high-grade spirit creature was practically the only substantial benefit currently within his reach.
He absolutely could not hand such a benefit to someone else for nothing.
Gong Yuan and Wei Wen might not have known what Fang Qianyuan was thinking, but both were seasoned men. Naturally, they understood how important a high-grade spirit creature was to the growth of a disciple from humble origins, so they fully understood Fang Qianyuan's decision.
Soon, Gong Yuan made his move. He had people spread an embellished account of what had happened that day.
Almost overnight, the entire Training Institute learned that an exceptional genius had emerged among its newest disciples. He had turned back the collapsing tide and propped up a great edifice on the verge of falling.
It was Fang Qianyuan's courage, resourcefulness, and willingness to shoulder responsibility that had saved so many disciples and prevented heavy casualties.
These events had genuinely happened. Whether examined openly or behind the scenes, in public or in private, the account was unassailable. Many of the disciples involved had witnessed it, and afterward, their testimony had been taken, filed, and confirmed with signatures and fingerprints.
At the same time, some less respectable rumors began to circulate.
"Hey, have you heard? Elder Ye has it in for Fang Qianyuan and wants to erase his achievements!"
"That can't be right. With Elder Ye's standing, would he really need to make things difficult for someone like that?"
"There's something you don't know. Another genius disciple went down into the Demon Cave for training this time, and he was also a hero who earned merits. That disciple was Elder Ye's son, Ye Tianming!"
"What? There's more to it?"
"Of course. Otherwise, as you said, why would a distinguished elder of the Training Institute bother picking on Junior Brother Fang? It's a cow's deep love for her calf! He's worried Junior Brother Fang will stand out too much and eclipse Ye Tianming."
"Now that really is... tsk, tsk..."
Some also spoke up indignantly on Ye Tianming's behalf. "What kind of world is this? Just because Junior Brother Ye comes from a better background and his father is an elder of the Merit Hall, does that mean he doesn't deserve a second-class major merit? Why should people smear him?"
"Exactly! Junior Brother Ye made a major contribution too. He fully deserves it!"
"When the Training Institute reports major merits, it can't lump them all into the second class. What's wrong with listing the other one as third class? Isn't that fair?"
"Well... in all conscience, if Junior Brother Ye's father weren't an elder of the Merit Hall, it really would be hard to judge whose contribution was greater. This time, it does seem a little... you know!"
"Hey, what do you mean by that?"
At Gending Court, a group of newly admitted disciples also gathered around Fang Qianyuan, asking after him with concern.
"I'm fine. The Merit Hall won't erase a disciple's achievements without cause. Don't spread rumors... yes, that's all there is to it. Rest assured."
Naturally, Fang Qianyuan knew what he should say at a time like this, so he gave everyone the same account.
In an upper chamber of the Merit Hall, Ye Li had also summoned Ye Tianming, Ba Ming, Luo De, Huang Ying, and Liu Xiaoyue to discuss the matter.
Luo De and the others were the Training Institute disciples who had accompanied Ye Tianming into the Demon Suppression Cavern for training that day. All of them belonged to Ye Li's faction and served as stewards under the Merit Hall. They were particularly sensitive to matters of merit assessments and disciples' reputations, so naturally, they had noticed the stir arising within the Training Institute.
"Elder Ye, someone's trying to smear us. Do you think that brat heard something and, refusing to accept it, has been driven to jump the wall like a cornered dog?" Ba Ming asked with a sneer.
His aptitude was not particularly good. Only through the Ye Household's support and cultivation had he broken through the sixth-turn bottleneck and advanced to the seventh turn.
He too had come from humble origins, poorer even than most ordinary disciples. He understood all too well the bitterness of being belittled and ignored, and he was profoundly grateful and utterly loyal to the Ye Household.
Moreover, he had watched Ye Tianming grow up over the years and treated him almost like his own brother. Naturally, he had no fondness for Fang Qianyuan.
By comparison, Luo De, Huang Ying, and Liu Xiaoyue were much calmer. Looking only slightly worried, they asked, "Elder Ye, shouldn't we issue a statement too, saying that we haven't smeared any meritorious disciple or swallowed up anyone else's credit?"
Ye Li shook his head gently, took a sip of tea, and said to them, "You're still too young. Right now, it's only a few rumors on the wind, not a true clash of flashing blades. What's the hurry?"
After a moment of silence, Ye Tianming also said, "It would be pointless."
Ye Li said, "Tianming, I'm glad you see it that way. You must understand that merit assessments are rules the sect established to motivate its disciples. At their heart, they still serve to preserve the stability of the system. As long as you demonstrate greater value than Fang Qianyuan, this second-class major merit will be yours."
Those few words laid bare the essence of the sect's rewards and punishments.
They were a means of maintaining order and a healthy mechanism for competition. They had little to do with what had actually happened.
The only reason to base them on facts was to convince everyone, and that too was part of maintaining order.
This was why renowned experts and outstanding talents sometimes received award after award despite having done nothing in particular.
Would Ye Tianming's achievements fail to convince everyone?
Ye Li was not worried in the slightest. His battle with the Insect King alone was enough to convince them.
"No matter how furiously Gong Yuan and Fang Qianyuan jump about, it won't do them any good!"
"As for everyone else, it doesn't concern them. So what if they talk? They won't take it to heart," Ye Li said. "What we do need to settle promptly is compensation and care for the other disciples who died or were injured. That is where our hall must demonstrate its fairness."
"Yes!" everyone replied, convinced wholeheartedly.
Three days passed swiftly, and the Sect Envoy finally arrived at Cang Mountain Academy.
The ordinary disciples knew nothing of this, but Fang Qianyuan and the others soon heard about it from Gong Yuan.
That afternoon, Gong Yuan summoned him to the Heavenly Hall again and said, "The envoy wants to see you. Come with me when the time comes."
"Elder Gong, does the situation look unfavorable?" Fang Qianyuan asked, noticing that Gong Yuan's expression was off.
Gong Yuan said, "It is somewhat unfavorable. I've argued your case on its merits here at the academy, but most of the elders still believe that since your cultivation is below Ye Tianming's, your contribution couldn't possibly have been greater than his. So they all support the Merit Hall's arrangement..."
He quickly reassured him, "But don't worry too much. Whatever the final outcome, a third-class major merit is still assured. That also carries a mid-grade spirit creature as a reward. Together with the Blue-Eyed Gray Wolf the Training Institute normally provides, you'll have at least two mid-grade spirit creatures to use."
He did not tell Fang Qianyuan that the events of that day were merely a point of reference, and were not actually all that important.
Judging the size of a contribution did not depend entirely on the facts, either, but on an account that everyone could accept.
If Fang Qianyuan had demonstrated sufficient value, then never mind turning back a collapsing tide-even if he had only played some peripheral part, the elders would have found a way to resolve the matter for him.
But Fang Qianyuan was Gong Yuan's disciple, not theirs. Why should they care so much?
However they looked at it, offending Elder Ye and the Ye Household for a disciple of humble origins was less sensible than cultivating good relations with them.
As Fang Qianyuan listened, however, his eyes flickered, and he suddenly asked, "Elder Gong, how much say does the Sect Envoy have in this matter?"