Finally, under the watchful eyes of all the servant disciples, Kang Xingyao packed his things and left the Fifth Planting Area, his head held high.
The gazes of all the servants present were incredibly complex. They knew that Kang Xingyao's departure was likely a final farewell. They might never see him again.
But no one could do anything about it. They felt only helplessness and anger at their situation. They were powerless.
Originally, Wang Ergou and Li Yun were going to celebrate Xu Ning reaching the second level of Qi Refining, but influenced by this somber event, they only offered a few quiet words of congratulations before leaving.
Somewhat dejected, Xu Ning returned to his thatched hut and opened Kang Xingyao's letter, his heart heavy.
He was shocked by its contents. His eyes widened.
"Junior Brother Xu Ning, when Yin Zi died, I thought about this day coming, so I made preparations in advance. I wasn't going to let them kill me."
"Don't worry, I won't go to my death. I have already pledged allegiance to the Moon Demon Sect through my contacts, and I will go there. It's better than dying here."
"According to my prediction, there will be some turmoil after I leave. After the turmoil, it will be your turn. They will come for you too. If you are also desperate at that time, you can come to the Moon Demon Sect to find me! Don't worry, I'll be there. You have a path out."
Xu Ning stood by the window, holding the letter, silent for a long time, staring at the words.
This was one of the outcomes Xu Ning had anticipated. No one is stupid. They wouldn't knowingly choose death without a way out. Kang Xingyao was smart.
Therefore, Kang Xingyao's defection was a likely outcome. He had found a way to survive.
Perhaps next, it would be Xu Ning's turn. They would come for him soon.
He had to plan ahead and prepare for his escape. He couldn't be caught off guard.
He released Yingying Monster and Tie Dan from the hut, giving each of them a top-grade Qi Gathering Pill. "Cultivate quickly and prepare to escape. We may need to run soon."
Besides these, Xu Ning planned to have Luo Xiu purchase some Earth Escape Talismans, Lightning Escape Talismans, Acceleration Talismans, and Array Escape Talismans next time. He needed a full kit for escape.
Kang Xingyao's defection would definitely cause a stir and serve as a warning to Du Jingsong. He would be furious and want revenge.
When it was Xu Ning's turn again, it wouldn't be so easy to defect. They would be watching him. So he had to be fully prepared. Otherwise, he might not be able to escape.
Soon, news of Kang Xingyao's defection spread throughout the Tianbao Sect like wildfire. The whispers grew.
Normally, a servant defecting wouldn't be a big deal, but at this critical juncture with the Moon Demon Sect, the sect was furious and ordered an immediate investigation.
All disciples of the Tianbao Sect were to undergo inspection, and anyone found practicing demonic techniques or having ties to the Moon Demon Sect would be immediately expelled.
As it turned out, quite a few servants who had indeed practiced demonic techniques were discovered in the sweep. They had been hiding.
However, these were only found in the servants' quarters. The servants, being at the bottom of the sect, suffered the most oppression and were naturally more easily swayed by outside influences. It was predictable.
Enraged, the sect ordered a thorough investigation and rectification of the servants' quarters, purging anyone suspicious.
Simultaneously, the Tianbao Sect directly demanded that the Moon Demon Sect hand over Kang Xingyao, offering resources in exchange. They wanted him back.
The Moon Demon Sect, of course, refused. If they accepted, who would dare join them in the future? It would be shooting themselves in the foot. They protected their own.
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To further anger the Tianbao Sect, the Moon Demon Sect spread the news of the demand widely, making it known to several neighboring sects. They mocked them.
The Tianbao Sect thus became a laughingstock among the surrounding sects. Their reputation suffered.
Enraged again, the sect immediately launched a thorough investigation into the reasons for Kang Xingyao's defection, looking for someone to blame.
Soon, Xu Ning and his group's affairs were unearthed—how they had been sent to the Ten Thousand Demon Forest as cannon fodder.
Normally, the sect would not have bothered with such matters concerning servants. They were beneath notice.
This time, however, to show they were serious, they took the initiative to punish Elder Du Jingsong publicly for his actions. It was a slap on the wrist.
Upon hearing this news, Xu Ning's heart sank to the bottom, not with joy. This was bad.
This was just inviting more hatred! The sect wouldn't kill Du Jingsong for the sake of menial laborers like them. So after the punishment, Du Jingsong would hold an even greater grudge against Xu Ning. He would definitely try every possible way to kill him for revenge. He was now a target.
No, he needed to nip the danger in the bud. He had to act.
Killing that old bastard Du Jingsong was impossible with his current strength. But there were ways to deal with this crisis and protect himself.
Since his current status couldn't make the sect take him seriously, he would strive to become valuable enough that they wouldn't dare to make a big fuss about him anymore. He needed to be indispensable.
He couldn't focus on his cultivation level yet, as rapid advancement would attract trouble and suspicion. He had to be subtle.
He would focus on his planting skills instead. Kang Xingyao's defection had bought him some time to build his reputation.
Early the next morning, Xu Ning took advantage of the crowd to begin his plan. He directly used the Cloud and Rain Technique on his fields.
Before, he always tried to avoid attracting attention, so even though he had mastered it, he hadn't used it. He hid his abilities.
Now, he didn't have so many concerns. He needed to stand out.
Xu Ning had also consulted with the Cloud Spirit Flowers about the ideal watering schedule through his unique ability to communicate with plants.
Relying on his ability to communicate with the Cloud Spirit Flowers, Xu Ning controlled everything precisely, ensuring their optimal growth conditions. He was a perfect caretaker.
This caused the Cloud Spirit Flowers he planted to grow rapidly over the following days, far outpacing the others.
One day, he was able to harvest seven or eight Cloud Spirit Flowers, and every few days, he could harvest a mid-grade Spirit-level flower. His yields were exceptional.
This unusual situation quickly attracted the attention of the new steward. It couldn't be ignored.
Perhaps because the deaths of the previous stewards had served as a warning, this new steward hadn't bullied the servants of the Fifth District. So Xu Ning felt relatively at ease.
He didn't make things difficult for Xu Ning and truthfully reported his insights about the Cloud Spirit Flower cultivation to the higher-ups.
Soon, Xu Ning's various rewards were announced, one after another:
An award for contributing to soil moisture in planting the Cloud Spirit Flower. An award for temperature control and regulation. An award for the depth of hoeing for later maintenance. An award for the best time to weed. The list went on.
Xu Ning usually shared this knowledge freely with his fellow disciples in the Fifth District, so they all benefited.
Therefore, after the announcement of Xu Ning's rewards, everyone spontaneously united to hold a celebration party for him. They were genuinely happy for him.
The planting area wasn't in great condition, but the scene of everyone sitting around a campfire, eating and drinking, looked quite warm and cozy. It was a rare moment of community.
"Brother Xu Ning, we never realized you could summarize so many planting techniques," Wang Ergou said, clinking glasses with Xu Ning. "You're like a farming sage."
Xu Ning smiled, playing along. "Back in the village, while you guys went out to play, I was always farming. Who told you to be so idle, always studying instead of working the fields?"
Wang Ergou and Li Yun found this extremely strange. When did studying count as being idle? They exchanged confused looks.
After that day, Xu Ning seemed to become the core of the entire Fifth Planting Area. All the laborers treated him with respect and frequently asked him about planting techniques. He was their go-to expert.
A few days later, a disheveled old man arrived at the Fifth Planting Area, looking around with curiosity.
The laborers of the Fifth Area didn't recognize him at all, but dared not speak. He looked like someone to be trifled with, his aura powerful.
And indeed, as they had guessed, the old man was Miao Yunyi, the peak master of Xuanzhi Peak, a high-ranking elder.
He had come here because he had heard that a servant here had unique skills in cultivating Cloud Spirit Flowers, which piqued his curiosity. So he came to see for himself.
Upon arriving at the fifth planting area, Miao Yunyi's first impression was that it was indeed somewhat special. The fields were flourishing.
The spiritual plants here were indeed growing much better than those in other planting areas, especially the Cloud Spirit Flowers. They were vibrant.
In fact, sometimes even fellow disciples who weren't cultivating Cloud Spirit Flowers would come to Xu Ning for advice based on their own plantings. He had become a resource.
This resulted in not only Cloud Spirit Flowers growing well in the entire Fifth Planting Area, but other spiritual herbs were also thriving under his guidance.
Miao Yunyi walked and looked around, his eyes filled with amazement. The growth of the Cloud Spirit Flowers here was almost comparable to that of the Cloud Spirit Flowers on Xuanzhi Peak, which was high praise.
This surprised Miao Yunyi greatly. After all, the spiritual fields on Xuanzhi Peak were mid-grade spiritual fields, far superior to the low-grade spiritual fields here. Yet the results were similar.
The more Miao Yunyi looked, the more curious he became about the legendary Xu Ning. So he couldn't help but inquire about his location and soon arrived at Xu Ning's spirit fields.