The three had already agreed on their story beforehand, making sure every detail matched.
When they were questioned, they explained that due to their low cultivation levels, they were only thinking of escaping during the chaos. They only saw a heavily armored person riding a similarly heavily armored demonic beast attacking Yue Rui from behind.
Terrified by the sight, the three scattered and fled in different directions, eventually making their way back to the market separately.
After waiting for a long time in the market without seeing Yue Rui return, they had no choice but to return to the sect on their own, assuming the worst.
Finally, Yin Zi couldn't help but ask the elders, his voice trembling, "What happened to Senior Brother Yue Rui? Is he alright?"
One of the middle-aged men, his face grim with anger, slammed his hand on the table, making everyone jump. "What happened? I'd like to ask you three menial servants how you protected your Senior Brother Yue Rui? You abandoned him!"
Yin Zi, forcing a smile, replied, his voice shaking, "Elder, our highest cultivation level is only the third level of Qi Refining. How can you expect us to protect Senior Brother Yue Rui, who is at the seventh level of Qi Refining? Isn't this making things difficult for us? We couldn't do anything."
The middle-aged man's face darkened further, his eyes blazing. "You dare talk back? Who do you think you are? A mere menial servant questioning an elder?"
Seeing the situation was getting out of hand, the other elders quickly tried to persuade him to calm down. There was no point in attacking the survivors.
Ultimately, they knew they wouldn't get any answers. The menial disciples knew nothing.
After all, everyone present knew that with the cultivation level of these menial disciples, they were no match for the Ten Thousand Demon Forest and couldn't possibly cause any trouble. It was absurd to blame them.
In the end, the three were sent away with a warning to keep silent about what they had seen.
On the way back, Yin Zi couldn't help but ask, his voice low, "Who was that person just now? His reaction was huge. He seemed personally offended."
Kang Xingyao replied, his face grim, "He was Yue Rui's master, Du Jingsong. His disciple died, of course he'd react strongly. It's natural."
Xu Ning added, "To cultivate a disciple at the seventh level of Qi Refining, it takes at least twenty years and various resources. Suddenly he's dead. Do you think he wouldn't be angry? He's grieving."
Kang Xingyao said, "So, Junior Brother Yin Zi, you shouldn't have argued with him. You should have kept quiet."
Yin Zi was full of resentment, his face red. "So what if I argued? Internal strife is forbidden within the sect. Even if he's an elder, he can't just kill me. There are rules."
Kang Xingyao sighed, shaking his head. "Your personality is too naive. The rules are for the weak to follow."
Yin Zi remained unconvinced and continued to argue with Kang Xingyao, his voice rising.
Seeing Yin Zi's continued defiance, Xu Ning gave up on trying to persuade him. Some lessons had to be learned the hard way.
After the three returned to the planting district, everything seemed to return to its previous calm. But tensions lingered.
The manager of the Eighth District was assassinated half a month later under mysterious circumstances.
Qin Ming, who had been arrogant due to the manager's favor, reaped what he sowed. The long-oppressed servants of the Eighth District erupted in fury, ganging up to cripple Qin Ming and avenge their grievances.
This book was originally published on NovelFire. Check it out there for the real experience.
Because so many servants were involved, the sect ultimately only punished the key figures lightly, not wanting to provoke further unrest.
Shortly after this incident, someone from Xuanlin Peak suddenly arrived at the Fifth Planting District and transferred Yin Zi away without explanation.
This wasn't unusual, as servants weren't only needed in the planting district. Both the outer and inner sect peaks required servants for various tasks.
In case of losses or shortages, they would come to the planting district to fill the gaps.
However, Xu Ning and Kang Xingyao, who knew the inside story, sensed something was amiss. They couldn't help but recall Yin Zi's confrontation with Du Jingsong, and a bad premonition crept into their hearts.
Half a month passed without any news of Yin Zi, and the two assumed he was alright, perhaps busy with his new duties.
But a day ago, an outer sect disciple came to the Fifth Planting District and transferred five more servants without warning.
Xu Ning sensed something was wrong, so he made some discreet inquiries and immediately noticed a pattern.
Only the laborers in the fifth district had been transferred to the outer sect as cannon fodder. The other planting areas hadn't been touched. It was targeted.
This was highly suspicious. Someone was deliberately targeting the Fifth District.
Xu Ning suspected it was closely related to their manager, Gui Mingmei. She was the common factor.
After much thought, Xu Ning decided to eliminate this troublemaker, Gui Mingmei, before she could cause more harm.
If things continued this way, Xu Ning himself might be transferred to the outer sect again in the future, and he might not survive next time.
However, Gui Mingmei always stayed in the planting area and never went out, which was a major headache for Xu Ning. He couldn't kill her in the sect.
He had to find a way to lure her out into the open.
Right now, the only thing that could attract this woman was something that could improve her cultivation. Greed was universal.
In that case, he would sell some mid-grade Qi Gathering Pills through his network and let the rumors spread.
Immediately, Xu Ning packed up the spiritual herbs that had matured in the past month, put a few mid-grade Qi Gathering Pills inside, wrote instructions, and sent them to Luo Xiu via the crow.
The next day, news came from the market that mid-grade Qi Gathering Pills were for sale, and that several more would be sold the following day. Demand was high.
This quality of Qi Gathering Pill was extremely attractive to the disciples in the menial tasks area, so the news spread very quickly through the sect. Everyone wanted them.
At this moment, Xu Ning stood by the window with his hands behind his back, awaiting the unfolding of his plan. His face was calm, but his eyes were sharp.
Xu Ning didn't enjoy killing. He had always avoided it when possible. But he knew that in this ruthless world of cultivation, if he wasn't ruthless, he would be devoured by the ruthless. Mercy was a weakness.
One wrong step could cost him his life. He had learned that lesson.
Faced with death, all moral boundaries could be abandoned. Survival was the only law.
He had only been in the Fifth Planting Area for a few months, and more than ten people had already died. If it weren't for the trump cards Xu Ning had accumulated over the years, he might not have returned last time. He had been lucky.
That incident had given Xu Ning a profound lesson, making him understand that once a danger was detected, it must be nipped in the bud within his capabilities. Hesitation was fatal.
Before the next day even arrived, Kang Xingyao suddenly appeared at his door, his face pale. "Junior Brother Xu Ning, Yin Zi's body has been returned. He's dead."
Xu Ning was startled, his heart sinking. "A body? What happened? How did he die?"
Kang Xingyao's voice was heavy. "A few days ago, Yin Zi accidentally broke the Xuanlin Peak Master's vase while working, and was severely injured. He had been lying in the servants' quarters for the past few days, but ultimately didn't make it. No one helped him."
"Hey! I knew it! Yin Zi shouldn't have talked back to the elder. It was a setup."
Xu Ning's face darkened, and he went with Kang Xingyao to Yin Zi's thatched hut, his steps heavy.
Yin Zi's body lay in the hut, covered in wounds, a testament to the brutal beatings he had suffered. He looked unrecognizable.
The other servants also arrived, their faces grim and angry. They knew what had happened.
Xu Ning, his face grim, approached Yin Zi's body and placed his hand on it, paying his respects.
What others couldn't see was that five kinds of light appeared on Yin Zi's body, then flowed into his body through Xu Ning's arm, merging with his spiritual roots.
Just like last time, Xu Ning showed no joy at the slight improvement in the quality of his spiritual root. It was a hollow gain.
This was truly not the way Xu Ning wanted to improve. He would rather not have it.
"Senior Brother Yin Zi, give me your spiritual root. I'll live in your place. If I have the chance in the future, I will avenge you," Xu Ning's voice was low, only he could hear it.
Like Feng Jinpeng before him, Yin Zi's body was still buried in the spirit field, still without a tombstone. Another forgotten life.
Having dedicated so much time to the spirit field, he ultimately returned to its nourishment. It was a bitter cycle.
This was the final fate of most menial disciples. No one remembered them.
The next morning, Gui Mingmei, who was heading to the market to buy the mid-grade Qi Gathering Pills, was attacked and killed on the road. Her body was found in a ditch.
This was the fourth manager to die this year, enraging the elders of the Tianbao Sect. They launched an unprecedented purge of the rogue cultivators around the sect, determined to root out the killers.
However, this also resulted in the deaths of many Moon Demon Sect cultivators who happened to be in the area, caught in the crossfire.