The disciple trials of Phoenix Creek Sect were quite different from those of the other sects in the Daxuan Dynasty. While other sects determined rankings through combat assessments, Phoenix Creek Sect's rankings were accumulated based on contribution points.
Put simply, the menial disciples of Phoenix Creek Sect were expected to gather variously valued herbs, fierce beasts, Energy Stones, and more from the Phoenix Creek Mountain Range.
From Hong Yuan's perspective, Phoenix Creek Sect was no different from treating the menial disciples as free labor—the kind that freshly cropped up every three months like wild leeks.
Using the menial disciples as consumables for the Sect to shine and thrive.
Under normal circumstances, Hong Yuan would definitely steer clear of such a cruel assessment system. However, having needs from the Phoenix Creek Sect and lacking in strength, he had no choice but to follow the rules set by the Sect.
Of course, he wouldn't let himself be confined by these rules. On the contrary, should an opportunity arise, he planned to exploit the rules for his own gain!
「Outer Door Affairs Court.」
This place was crammed with menial disciples, bustling about, many of whom were looking to team up and head to the Phoenix Creek Mountain Range.
"Is there anyone at the entry-level of Five Tiger Breaking Gate Sword? Dongsheng is looking for people!!!"
"Guaranteed promotion to formal disciple, guaranteed promotion to formal disciple, only for a hundred thousand Silver Coins, only for a hundred thousand Silver Coins!"
"Get lost, don't block the way..."
Hong Yuan stood quietly in the distance, silently observing Yue Yun, who was willingly acting as a lackey for Chen Dongsheng.
Yue Yun was incessantly shouting Chen Dongsheng's name, and surprisingly, his glib tongue actually managed to recruit three menial disciples of decent strength.
Heh. He's resourceful and bold, and he even knows how to use the momentum to his advantage. Chen Dongsheng, if you don't succeed, who will~ Hong Yuan chuckled to himself and turned to leave, carrying a standard-issue Miao Blade.
「Phoenix Creek Mountain Range, the outer area.」
Hong Yuan cautiously selected wild fierce beasts, testing the limits of his strength bit by bit.
He would quickly avoid animals like boars, poisonous snakes, and wolf packs. But when encountering wild rabbits, pheasants, and other such creatures, he would immediately engage them.
THWACK!
With a faint tiger's roar in the background, Hong Yuan once again hacked a wild rabbit to death with his blade.
I have consecutively killed over thirty wild rabbits and pheasants, and now I can easily handle small animals. It's time to move on to medium-sized ones, Hong Yuan mused to himself.
Then he began searching for medium-sized prey.
Half a day later, Hong Yuan started looking for larger animals.
After spending a day, Hong Yuan was confident that his strength was enough to dominate a corner of the outer area of Phoenix Creek Mountain Range.
Well, the Five Tiger Breaking Gate Sword may be a common Cultivation Technique, but at least I have mastered it to the Proficient Realm, Hong Yuan thought to himself.
At this moment, his Miao Blade was covered in blackish clotted blood, exuding a murderous aura.
Having assessed his strength, Hong Yuan began looking for a hiding place, planning to lay low until the last day before emerging from the mountains.
Martial Artists must strive.
But as one walking the path of Longevity Martial Arts, he didn't need to fight with his back against the wall or follow the path of ascendance through numerous killings.
Now, all he needed to do was to curb his impatience, grow slowly, and wait for his Innate Ability and Life Span to increase.
He didn't need to take huge risks entering the inner layers of the Phoenix Creek Mountain Range for the top three rewards like other top-strength menial disciples did.
Exchanging for contribution rewards just needed to be enough to pass.
Could the rewards for the top three be more generous than his Innate Ability?
「At dusk.」
On a mountaintop occupied by a large black bear, Hong Yuan silently arrived and stealthily infiltrated the bear's cave.
The cave stank, reeking horribly as if it was a mixed garbage dump.
But Hong Yuan didn't mind at all; on the contrary, he felt a rush of excitement.
Isn't this an excellent place to practice? Collecting points? With five days, just gathering enough to barely pass on the last day will do!
RUMBLE~ SNORE~
RUMBLE~ SNORE~
The loud, dull snoring of the great black bear reverberated once again from the cave. Hong Yuan, hidden in a dark corner, revealed a silent smile at this sight.
Slowly, Hong Yuan took out a powder from his waist pouch and carefully applied it to the Miao Blade.
The blade tip, the blade body, the cutting edge...
A Miao Blade, drenched in blood, turned into a purple blade.
After completing the preparations, Hong Yuan stealthily moved in front of the great black bear and struck the most ferocious pose of White Tiger Jumping Over the Ravine.
[Five Tiger Breaking Gate Sword]
BOOM!
A deep tiger roar sounded, and the great black bear suddenly woke up, only to find itself soaring high into the air. What it couldn't comprehend was why its body was still lying on the ground?
"..."
Looking at the enormous bear's head, Hong Yuan was rather speechless. What are you opening your eyes so wide for?
"Dying to my Five Tiger Breaking Gate Sword at the Proficient Realm, combined with the Special Paralysis Powder, you can truly rest in peace," he said, as he turned around and cleaned the powder off the Miao Blade.
With the matter settled, Hong Yuan somewhat tidied up the cave, and then began to practice the Five Tiger Breaking Gate Sword, striving to advance it to the Expert Realm.
In the following days, Hong Yuan was determined not to venture out, aiming to silently practice the Five Tiger Breaking Gate Sword in this secluded cave and push its proficiency to the extreme.
There was no need to rush with the five-day Disciple Trial.
「Meanwhile.」
In the western wing room of the Phoenix Creek Sect's menial disciples, Yue Yun was exerting pressure on other menial disciples.
"Le Congsheng, bring it out. Do you think you can evade our hunt by turning it in on the last day? Heh."
Without waiting for Le Congsheng to reply, Yue Yun swung his arm viciously. He immediately exposed the hidden herbs Le Congsheng had stashed, snatched them away, and even landed a heavy slap on Le Congsheng's face before leaving.
Then he moved on to his next target.
Damn it! Le Congsheng clenched his fists tightly. If it wasn't for his fear of Chen Dongsheng, he would tear Yue Yun to pieces.
Yue Yun kept muttering his next target's name in his mind: none other than Hong Yuan.
Hong Yuan, Hong Yuan.
These spineless fools are indeed easy to squeeze. Did they really believe my lies? I've lorded over them; how could I possibly let them have the chance to turn the tables?
Tch tch tch…
Arriving at Hong Yuan's wing room, Yue Yun pushed open the door, only to find that Hong Yuan wasn't there?!
He quickly walked over to Hong Yuan's bed and looked around.
"Has Hong Yuan not come back today?" Yue Yun asked the disciple in the neighboring bed.
Given Yue Yun's reputation, the other person didn't conceal anything.
Good lord, this foolish kid hasn't come back all day—he couldn't have died at the claws of some ferocious beast, could he? Yue Yun speculated secretly.
He didn't believe that Hong Yuan had the strength to stay in the Phoenix Creek Mountain Range, even just in the outer area. After all, those who could spend a night in the outer area of the Phoenix Creek Mountain Range were invariably top-tier menial disciples—and Hong Yuan, with his pathetic demeanor…
Yue Yun shook his head quietly, lamenting the loss of a prime leek, and hurriedly left.
Hong Yuan was one of the few soft targets he could handle by himself.
Not ruthless enough, with an Innate Ability that was too low, fearing hardship and exhaustion yet also extremely afraid of death—Hong Yuan perfectly fit the criteria of a prime leek.
Unable to continue exploiting Hong Yuan, he felt like he had suffered a huge loss!
Had I known Hong Yuan couldn't last the first day, I wouldn't have wasted time appeasing him the past two days. I could have spent that time gathering bees to refine the Rapid Bee Worm. Now I only have one poison bee, and I don't feel it's enough to kill Chen Dongsheng. Ah~ Yue Yun had a hint of regret in his eyes.
His martial arts aptitude was not much better than Hong Yuan's before he allocated points; it was equally pathetic.
If not for the fortune he had amassed by secretly and repeatedly using Chen Dongsheng's name these days, he wouldn't have had enough time and resources to train his Five Tiger Breaking Gate Sword to the Beginner Realm.
But having invoked Chen Dongsheng's name too often, Yue Yun was always uneasy, fearing discovery. With Chen Dongsheng's temperament, once found out, he would certainly be beaten half to death.
Therefore, Yue Yun decided, he had to get rid of Chen Dongsheng first!!!